Open Door - Revision history

Admin: 13 revisions

2010-08-20T18:09:54Z

13 revisions

Bferrell at 12:35, 6 August 2010

2010-08-06T12:35:02Z

AndyMillin at 15:41, 5 August 2010

2010-08-05T15:41:12Z

Bferrell at 10:50, 5 August 2010

2010-08-05T10:50:56Z

Bferrell: /* Rodney Brim */

2010-08-04T16:42:00Z

Rodney Brim

Bferrell: /* Rodney Brim */

2010-08-04T16:40:59Z

Rodney Brim

Bferrell: /* Rodney Brim */

2010-08-04T16:38:28Z

Rodney Brim

Bferrell: /* Rodney Brim */

2010-08-04T16:37:37Z

Rodney Brim

Bferrell at 16:32, 4 August 2010

2010-08-04T16:32:02Z

Bferrell: /* Rodney Brim */

2010-08-04T16:30:29Z

Rodney Brim

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:35, 6 August 2010
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	''Jim''		''Jim''
		+
		+	== Toni Vallee ==
		+	A flight test report from Toni Vallee and Pete Wetmore
		+
		+	''Hi, my husband, Pete Wetmore, usually monitors the Reflector and he asked me to write about my experience with the pilot door, on our standard RG, opening in flight. We were still in the test flight stages of the aircraft and I was flying by myself.''
		+
		+	''I had not checked that the door latch had been locked while finalizing my run up and was cleared for take off. I started my runway role and had lifted off 100 feet when the door flew open. I tried to pull it down but was not able to and called the tower to ask for a full stop landing - explaining that my door had come open.''
		+
		+	''I had taken off from Runway 7 right at Deer Valley airport, in Phoenix, and the traffic pattern is to turn right - which I did. During this time, I told myself repeatedly (and I mean repeatedly) to fly the airplane and was able to keep things relatively stable. I tried several times, while on downwind (again a right turn - away from the door) to pull the door down but was not successful and finally gave up. I had never retracted the gear so this was one additional thing I didn't have to deal with while trying to land the plane.''
		+
		+	''The tower asked me if I wanted the runway foamed, while I was on downwind, but I was horrified at the attention that would bring and told them I didn't want that - the aircraft was performing pretty well. I made my right turn onto final and I was able to land the airplane. I seem to remember that I kept my usual pattern speeds (this was in November of 2003 so I don't have a clear recollection).''
		+
		+	''Upon arrival back at the hangar, we looked at the door and found one of the hinges had been broken off and the gas strut (old style) had been torn loose from the door frame. The second hinge held and this is what held the door on.''
		+
		+	''We replaced both hinges and reinforced their attachment pads. We also changed to the new type struts on both doors. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, we installed the door locked light which is activated by the door locking pins. Needless to say I now check to see that the doors are locked and the door locked light is green before I take off.''
		+
		+	''I hope this is helpful.''
		+
		+	''Toni Vallee''

@@ Line 44: / Line 44: @@
 == Mark Riley ==
-Mark reported taht the buyer of his first plane had an incident as well.
+Mark reported that the buyer of his first plane had an incident as well.
 ''The buyer of my SERG forgot to latch the copilot side door prior to takeoff from Santa Barbara at night. The door departed the aircraft mid takeoff and destroyed the prop, necessitating a forced landing and heavy damage. I would strongly recommend against opening a door on an Elite in flight.''

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:50, 5 August 2010
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	''The buyer of my SERG forgot to latch the copilot side door prior to takeoff from Santa Barbara at night. The door departed the aircraft mid takeoff and destroyed the prop, necessitating a forced landing and heavy damage. I would strongly recommend against opening a door on an Elite in flight.''		''The buyer of my SERG forgot to latch the copilot side door prior to takeoff from Santa Barbara at night. The door departed the aircraft mid takeoff and destroyed the prop, necessitating a forced landing and heavy damage. I would strongly recommend against opening a door on an Elite in flight.''
		+
		+	== Jim Beck ==
		+	Jim file this report.
		+
		+	''My Passenger Door came open as I broke ground at about 20 ft altitude, I had ample runway and was able to land reasonably straight with the door open. I hate to admit to being a slow learner but after repairing the door hinges,( one broke but the other held on ) a few months later I forgot to latch the pilot door, this time I was about 100 ft when it started to open , I was able to hold it closed and fly around the pattern & land.''
		+
		+	''I installed the flashing light after this and the last 5 years have not forgotten. I like the position right by airspeed as this is usually the last check before rotation.''
		+
		+	''Jim''

@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 == Rodney Brim ==
-Here's Rodney's account.  He was moved by the encounter to change his door hinges to be forward opening.  Check out his plane[http://www.velocityxl.com/wiki/index.php?title=Brim_N87BR  here].
+[[File:N87br_brim.jpg|350px|left]]Here's Rodney's account.  He was moved by the encounter to change his door hinges to be forward opening.  Check out his plane [http://www.velocityxl.com/wiki/index.php?title=Brim_N87BR  here].
 ''I had a near fatal encounter with the door opening and not coming off. I sent in some suggestions to the factory, which should be part of all your emergency procedures. I have since rehinged my doors from the front, and the open quite nicely in flight without creating any problems - although I can't close them once they are open until I'm back on the ground.''

@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 == Rodney Brim ==
-Here's Rodney's account.
+Here's Rodney's account.  He was moved by the encounter to change his door hinges to be forward opening.  Check out his plane[http://www.velocityxl.com/wiki/index.php?title=Brim_N87BR  here].
 ''I had a near fatal encounter with the door opening and not coming off. I sent in some suggestions to the factory, which should be part of all your emergency procedures. I have since rehinged my doors from the front, and the open quite nicely in flight without creating any problems - although I can't close them once they are open until I'm back on the ground.''

← Older revision	Revision as of 18:09, 20 August 2010
(No difference)

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:38, 4 August 2010
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	''Rodney Brim''		''Rodney Brim''
		+
		+

	In another post he added this addendum.		In another post he added this addendum.

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:37, 4 August 2010
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	''Rodney Brim''		''Rodney Brim''
		+
		+	In another post he added this addendum.
		+	''If the door pops open fully, '''DO NOT TURN AWAY FROM THE OPEN DOOR'''.''
		+
		+	''If you, like I, ever have that experience. You will start a rapid roll away from the door to an inverted position. For me the door opened slightly as I departed... with the gear coming up it pressurized the cabin and pops the door wide open, and then if you turn away from the door (to head back to the airport) it wants to roll and spin into the ground, in my case at about 200 feet. Opposite rudder and aileron will hold you at a 60 degree bank angle, but won't get you out of the fix as you're going to stall in that configuration.''

	== Al Gietzen ==		== Al Gietzen ==

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:32, 4 August 2010
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		+	I've tried to capture here a list of pilot reports of under what circumstances a door has opened in flight, what led up to the door opening, what the flight characteristics were with the door open (or departed), and if the door departed what the consequences of that were.

	== Rodney Brim ==		== Rodney Brim ==

@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 ''I had a near fatal encounter with the door opening and not coming off. I sent in some suggestions to the factory, which should be part of all your emergency procedures. I have since rehinged my doors from the front, and the open quite nicely in flight without creating any problems - although I can't close them once they are open until I'm back on the ground.''
-''Bottom Line: If the door pops all the way open and doesn't tear off, (which mine didn't, in my case it was the co-pilot door and it swung all the way up and I couldn't reach it) you will be in an emergency.''
+'''''Bottom Line''': If the door pops all the way open and doesn't tear off, (which mine didn't, in my case it was the co-pilot door and it swung all the way up and I couldn't reach it) you will be in an emergency.''
 ''1. The aircraft will be moderately directionally unstable - you now have a dorsal fin of sorts in the middle of the aircraft and the plane wants to wander around that center - its still quite flyable.''
@@ Line 17: / Line 18: @@
 ''Rodney Brim''
 == Al Gietzen ==