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Ejecting the canopy on the 601

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David X

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 154
Location: Princeton, NJ, USA

Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2007 8:19 pm Post subject: Ejecting the canopy on the 601

There is a thread or two on this topic, mainly people concerned about bailing out of their aircraft in midair. Forget where the plane goes after that - and screw everyone else on the ground.   



I thought I'd share a personal experience to ease your minds about the canopy.



I once took off with only one side latched (not intentional). While climbing out, I decided to try to push down on the open side to complete the closure. Not a chance, no matter how hard I pushed. In fact, it made the other side pop open.



I can tell you from personal experience that the canopy produces enough negative pressure in flight to keep it about 3 inches above the normal closed position, but it doesn't do much else.



I returned to land and shut it, naturally. I never had it happen again because I make it part of my take-off checklist to visually look at the latch mechanism to see it enguaged and I push up hard on the hoop on both sides to make sure it doesn't budge.



Anyway, if you were going to make a forced landing in rough terain or trees or a plowed field, it might be a good idea to pop the canopy right before landing. It's too thin to give you any protection on a roll-over anyway, but at least you wouldn't have to break your way out.



On the other hand, maybe best to leave it as is so as to reduce posibility of flying canopy parts.



A tough call.

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purplemoon99(at)bellsouth
Guest

Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2007 6:20 am Post subject: Ejecting the canopy on the 601

Is there any way you couldn't fly with it unlached all the time? Would  it 

help vent all stale air and help cooling in the hot florida sun. I had 

thought about a safety lanyard that would stop the rise at 3",seems to me 

that it would help for excess smoke in the cockpit My frist flight in a 601 

,1 drop of oil dripped onthe eng, or some where hot, the smell filled the 

cockpit in a flash and was very strong(hot oil) when we landed we couldn't 

find a ,sign of a leak any where not even 1 small drop, what would a real 

oil leak,or fire do?

---

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bryanmmartin

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 1018

Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2007 7:17 am Post subject: Ejecting the canopy on the 601

I once had the dipstick come loose on my engine and oil got all over  

the top of the engine and the firewall. I was leaving a pretty good  

smoke trail but barely detected a hint of oil smell in the cabin.



It sounds like you have a fair amount of air leaking into the cabin  

from the engine compartment. I would be more worried about exhaust  

leaking than a little oil smoke. My firewall is completely sealed off  

in flight

 	  Quote: 	
		   

 <purplemoon99(at)bellsouth.net>



 Is there any way you couldn't fly with it unlatched all the time?  

 Would  it help vent all stale air and help cooling in the hot  

 florida sun. I had thought about a safety lanyard that would stop  

 the rise at 3",seems to me that it would help for excess smoke in  

 the cockpit My first flight in a 601 ,1 drop of oil dripped on the  

 eng, or some where hot, the smell filled the cockpit in a flash and  

 was very strong(hot oil) when we landed we couldn't find a ,sign of  

 a leak any where not even 1 small drop, what would a real oil  

 leak,or fire do?


	


-- 

Bryan Martin

N61BM, CH 601 XL,

RAM Subaru, Stratus redrive.

do not archive.

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_________________
--
Bryan Martin
N61BM, CH 601 XL, Stratus Subaru.
do not archive.

purplemoon99(at)bellsouth
Guest

Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2007 2:52 pm Post subject: Ejecting the canopy on the 601

wasn' my plane, it was one built in the chez  rep. Didn't your out side air 

vents suck any of that outside oil smoke in?    Joe     N101HD

---

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bryanmmartin

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 1018

Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2007 1:56 am Post subject: Ejecting the canopy on the 601

The smoke all got pushed out the bottom of the cowl. My cowl seals up  

pretty well too. I didn't realize I had such a leak until I taxied  

back to the hangar. I don't recall if I had my vents open during that  

flight, it might have been a cold day.



 	  Quote: 	
		   

 <purplemoon99(at)bellsouth.net>



 wasn' my plane, it was one built in the chez  rep. Didn't your out  

 side air vents suck any of that outside oil smoke in?    Joe      

 N101HD

> 

> <bryanmmartin(at)comcast.net>

>

> I once had the dipstick come loose on my engine and oil got all  

> over  the top of the engine and the firewall. I was leaving a  

> pretty good  smoke trail but barely detected a hint of oil smell  

> in the cabin.


	


-- 

Bryan Martin

N61BM, CH 601 XL,

RAM Subaru, Stratus redrive.

do not archive.

- The Matronics Zenith-List Email Forum -

Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:

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_________________
--
Bryan Martin
N61BM, CH 601 XL, Stratus Subaru.
do not archive.

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