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DOOR detached during flight
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max8992



Joined: 28 Jul 2011
Posts: 142

PostPosted: Wed Jul 02, 2014 8:50 am    Post subject: DOOR detached during flight Reply with quote

Jons,

Quote:
This is generally limited to the flattish flange of the inboard rear top
corner of the door which over time becomes curled up a little causing rather

an unsightly > gap at that corner. This deformation can be "reset" given
time with ingenious use of weights/ straps/ pressure etc plus careful
warming of the corner. (The gas > strut repositioning mod addresses this
problem and helps prevent it happening though I've not fitted it to mine).

Nop! Just apply the mod and the door will come back at the right place and
will not be deformed anymore. I know it because I did it Smile

Quote:
The "twisting" I referred to is simply caused by the (quite flexible) door
being twisted when it is open by the fact that it only has one gas strut

fitted to one > edge of the door.

May be, but don’t care! I'm used to taxi with my door semi open during days
and I close it when lining up and I just verify the two bolts (specially the
rear one) are engaged on pushing on the door as the last point of your check
list before take-off! (And reopen it and close it again correctly if it
happens that one is disengaged)

Max Cointe
mcointe(at)free.fr
F-PMLH Europa XS_TriGear
Kit #560-2003 912ULS/AirmasterAP332 520 hours

F-PLDJ Dyn’Aéro MCR 4S
Kit #27-2002 912ULSFR/MTProp MTV7A 1650 heures
-----Message d'origine-----
De : owner-europa-list-server(at)matronics.com
[mailto:owner-europa-list-server(at)matronics.com] De la part de JonSmith
Envoyé : mardi 1 juillet 2014 18:34
À : europa-list(at)matronics.com
Objet : Re: DOOR detached during flight


--> <jonsmitheuropa(at)tiscali.co.uk>

Hi, just to clarify and expand on my previous comments and noting the very
valid comments by John Wighton and others, the doors, even when closed can
be semi permanently deformed by the continuous action of the gas strut (mine
certainly has). This is generally limited to the flattish flange of the
inboard rear top corner of the door which over time becomes curled up a
little causing rather an unsightly gap at that corner. This deformation can
be "reset" given time with ingenious use of weights/ straps/ pressure etc
plus careful warming of the corner. (The gas strut repositioning mod
addresses this problem and helps prevent it happening though I've not fitted
it to mine).

I don't think this is the cause of people failing to lock the door correctly
though. The "twisting" I referred to is simply caused by the (quite
flexible) door being twisted when it is open by the fact that it only has
one gas strut fitted to one edge of the door. If it had two gas struts, one
at the front and one at the rear it wouldn't twist - but think of the extra
weight....! On mine, if I disconnect the gas strut the door lowers down
completely straight and fits perfectly into the frame with no extra fiddling
required. When I reconnect the gas strut then due to the induced twist,
after I have lowered it I need to give the bottom of the door my previously
mentioned gentle nudge forward to pop it fully into position (ie. to allow
the rear edge of the door to move fully inwards and fully home). It's a bit
like on my old estate car - one of the gas struts failed on the boot
(trunk!) lid and the boot was a pig to shut because the one remaining
(strong) gas strut twisted !
the thin boot lid so much it needed a huge sideways force to make it fit!
Like John, I am completely convinced that the door design is very good and
completely sound but that this is just one of those things that we all "need
to know" and that we all religiously check that the front and especially the
(harder to see!) rear of the door is correctly shut and in the correct
position with the shoot bolts engaged. Someone mentioned about warning
devices - it's a very personal thing but I prefer not to rely on bells and
whistles which might let me down one day but rely on myself to visually
check each time. I just pray that I don't let myself down one day!
I guess an issue is, and this will always be a risk, where someone less
familiar with the day to day operating of the plane flies it - classic
example being the engineer as the original poster mentioned. As owners I
suppose this will need to be one of many briefing points covered.

--------
G-TERN
Classic Mono


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Max8992
Europa XS #560 F-PMLH
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g-fizy



Joined: 27 May 2012
Posts: 46
Location: uk

PostPosted: Wed Jul 02, 2014 1:45 pm    Post subject: Re: DOOR detached during flight Reply with quote

thanks for all your comments here is a pic of the front hinge ,its very thin but i am no expert ,i wonder if this did fail would the door coming off not damage the holes that the lock bars go into as the door ripped away as it took one hell of a chunk from the fuselage

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Fred Klein



Joined: 26 Mar 2012
Posts: 503

PostPosted: Wed Jul 02, 2014 3:18 pm    Post subject: DOOR detached during flight Reply with quote

jim.davis wrote:
Quote:
here is a pic of the front hinge ,its very thin but i am no expert ,i wonder if this did fail would the door coming off not damage the holes that the lock bars go into as the door ripped away as it took one hell of a chunk from the fuselage


Jim…and was that “chunk from the fuselage” adjacent to the front shoot bolt receptacle or the rear one? If we can assume that take off did not occur with NEITHER shoot bolts engaged, I would think therein lies the answer to whether or not the loss of door was initiated by improper engagement of one or the other shoot bolts…
In any event, you have my sympathies,
Fred

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brian.davies(at)clara.co.
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 02, 2014 11:42 pm    Post subject: DOOR detached during flight Reply with quote

Talking of experts, have you spoken to Malcolm McBride at the LAA about
this. He could examine the hinge to determine if there was a pre-existing
crack that could have caused a failure.

Regards

Brian Davies

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max8992



Joined: 28 Jul 2011
Posts: 142

PostPosted: Thu Jul 03, 2014 12:05 am    Post subject: DOOR detached during flight Reply with quote

If the door was correctly fitted to open freely and the strut positioned in
such a way that there was not effort on the hinge when fully open, then
there is no reason (not enough efforts) that this hinge breaks in flight
when the door is closed. So it broke when the door opened then departed.
I did fly with a crack on one hinge for month before I replaced it... and
it's the other door who departed because of the rear pin not correctly
engaged!

Max Cointe
mcointe(at)free.fr
F-PMLH Europa XS_TriGear
Kit #560-2003 912ULS/AirmasterAP332 520 hours

F-PLDJ Dyn’Aéro MCR 4S
Kit #27-2002 912ULSFR/MTProp MTV7A 1650 heures
--


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daseitz(at)cfl.rr.com
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 03, 2014 3:08 am    Post subject: DOOR detached during flight Reply with quote

Where was the fuselage chunck removed from? Was it at one of the lock pin sockets?
Dean Seitz

---- "Max Cointe (Free)" <mcointe(at)free.fr> wrote:

[quote]

If the door was correctly fitted to open freely and the strut positioned in
such a way that there was not effort on the hinge when fully open, then
there is no reason (not enough efforts) that this hinge breaks in flight
when the door is closed. So it broke when the door opened then departed.
I did fly with a crack on one hinge for month before I replaced it... and
it's the other door who departed because of the rear pin not correctly
engaged!

Max Cointe
mcointe(at)free.fr
F-PMLH Europa XS_TriGear
Kit #560-2003 912ULS/AirmasterAP332 520 hours

F-PLDJ Dyn’Aéro MCR 4S
Kit #27-2002 912ULSFR/MTProp MTV7A 1650 heures


--


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g-fizy



Joined: 27 May 2012
Posts: 46
Location: uk

PostPosted: Thu Jul 03, 2014 11:03 am    Post subject: Re: DOOR detached during flight Reply with quote

re chunk ,,, the chunk is near the top end of the rear of the door ,i have no idea how that happend

Has any one thought of a extra lock in the middle of the door,separate from the door lock that should hold if the rear is not engaged correctly


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grahamsingleton(at)btinte
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 03, 2014 1:27 pm    Post subject: DOOR detached during flight Reply with quote

Yes. Mal McLure, years ago.
Kingsley, do you have details of it?
Graham

From: g-fizy <jim.davis1(at)me.com>
To: europa-list(at)matronics.com
Sent: Thursday, 3 July 2014, 20:03
Subject: Re: DOOR detached during flight


--> Europa-List message posted by: "g-fizy" <jim.davis1(at)me.com (jim.davis1(at)me.com)>

re chunk ,,, the chunk is near the top end of the rear of the door ,i have no idea how that happend

Has any one thought of a extra lock in the middle of the door,separate from the door lock that should hold if the rear is not engaged correctly

--------
owner g-fizy


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John Wighton



Joined: 18 May 2010
Posts: 240

PostPosted: Thu Jul 03, 2014 11:26 pm    Post subject: Re: DOOR detached during flight Reply with quote

Can we just get one thing straight - the hinge did not break. The structure has torn away around the hinge due to a tear-out failure mode. The force generated by the door flying up means that almost any airworthy structure would have failed.

There is nothing wrong with the hinge design or manufacture. Build to the spec and ensure the pins are engaged and the system is 100% reliable.

Any changes to this area is deemed to be a mod and would need to be justified by a stress analysis and design submission to the LAA (in the UK).

Regards
JW


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John Wighton
Europa XS trigear G-IPOD
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kheindl(at)msn.com
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 04, 2014 2:59 am    Post subject: DOOR detached during flight Reply with quote

John,


But is it not desirable that the hinges fail when the door opens in flight ? Rather than having the door flapping about and doing untold damage ?
Karl
Quote:
Subject: Re: DOOR detached during flight
From: john(at)wighton.net
Date: Fri, 4 Jul 2014 00:26:43 -0700
To: europa-list(at)matronics.com

--> Europa-List message posted by: "John Wighton" <john(at)wighton.net>

Can we just get one thing straight - the hinge did not break. The structure has torn away around the hinge due to a tear-out failure mode. The force generated by the door flying up means that almost any airworthy structure would have failed.

There is nothing wrong with the hinge design or manufacture. Build to the spec and ensure the pins are engaged and the system is 100% reliable.

Any changes to this area is deemed to be a mod and would need to be justified by a stress analysis and design submission to the LAA (in the UK).

Regards
JW

--------
John Wighton
Europa XS trigear G-IPOD




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PostPosted: Fri Jul 04, 2014 3:34 am    Post subject: DOOR detached during flight Reply with quote

Karl
it is desireable that the hinges let go, rather than tearing out half the side of the fuselage.
The force on a door behaving like a wing is considerable.
Graham

From: Karl Heindl <kheindl(at)msn.com>
To: "europa-list(at)matronics.com" <europa-list(at)matronics.com>
Sent: Friday, 4 July 2014, 11:58
Subject: RE: Re: DOOR detached during flight


John,


But is it not desirable that the hinges fail when the door opens in flight ? Rather than having the door flapping about and doing untold damage ?
Karl
Quote:
Subject: Re: DOOR detached during flight
From: john(at)wighton.net
Date: Fri, 4 Jul 2014 00:26:43 -0700
To: europa-list(at)matronics.com

--> Europa-List message posted by: "John Wighton" <john(at)wighton.net>

Can we just get one thing straight - the hinge did not break. The structure has torn away around the hinge due to a tear-out failure mode. The force generated by the door flying up means that almost any airworthy structure would have failed.

There is nothing wrong with the hinge design or manufacture. Build to the spec and ensure the pins are engaged and the system is 100% reliable.

Any changes to this area is deemed to be a mod and would need to be justified by a stress analysis and design submission to the LAA (in the UK).

Regards
JW

--------
John Wighton
Europa XS trigear G-IPOD




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[quote]ank" href="http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Europa-List">http://www.mat"nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://forums.matronics.com/">http://f==========

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budyerly(at)msn.com
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 04, 2014 11:39 am    Post subject: DOOR detached during flight Reply with quote

 <?xml:namespace prefix="v" /><?xml:namespace prefix="o" /><![endif]--> [img]cid:003b01cf97bf$77439820$3D78DB64(at)Yerly[/img][img]cid:003c01cf97bf$77485310$3D78DB64(at)Yerly[/img] Photo E-mail [url=https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=2161856909618aa7&page=play&resid=2161856909618AA7!355&parId=2161856909618AA7!130&type=5&authkey=!AMh42rDkVTfHM0E]View slideshow [/url]| [url=https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=2161856909618aa7&page=downloadphotos&resid=2161856909618AA7!355&parId=2161856909618AA7!130&type=5&authkey=!AMh42rDkVTfHM0E]Download images [/url] Karl, and all.
As Graham said, we do want the hinges to fail. The door tab may fail as well. You are right as usual Karl. Who cares about the door as long as it comes off and doesn't affect flight characteristics.

Any damage to the top of the aircraft, in my experience, is caused by grinding, or crushing the glass with the hardware, in the installation of the hinges. This is where the glass can get compromised. Some damage will always occur during a door detachment. Although I have seen poor layups in this area where there was only gelcoat holding one corner of the rebate in the hinge top. A couple layers of glass and a bit of filler fixes that during the build.

If built as per the manual with stronger hinges, you can count on a door that opens in flight, will really tear up the top attachment area. You'll be doing a much larger repair for sure. If many different knobs, straps, locks, hold down fixtures are attached to the door it will have more momentum and even more damage will occur.

If one builds the hinges as described and puts the hardware and washers as depicted (bed them in flox if you must due to the curves and such) and there are no manufacturing flaws, the door departs with only minimal damage to the hinge attach points. Usually it is fixable in a few hours then fill sand prime and paint.

The doors as designed will last many years without damage as proved on our oldest aircraft. If you damage your door while running up with the door open, it is your fault, not the doors. If you allow the door to flip open in gusty conditions, it is your fault. If you leave the door open on the ground because it is hot, and another plane blasts yours (like I did) it is your fault. If you have bad struts, replace them with new ones and do the mod 66 or alternate as on my website to save weight and eliminate the door lift problem. (I even contracted a US factory to build new struts exclusively for me and my clients. Metal fittings, fairly inexpensive, and I figure at five years just replace them with the hoses on the engine and fuel system. There are no 970-3s on the back of the fuselage door strut ball attachment so it will pull out with a smaller hole and less damage if the metal end doesn't release.) If the door doesn't fit, won't close, or latch without a hydraulic ram, fix it.

If you want a plane to last forever, it won't, but say you did, it would weigh a ton more due to all the extra stuff you must add for bullet proof longevity.

I grudgingly learned to do the maintenance and follow an IRAN (Inspect and Repair As Necessary) annual inspection discipline. I program replacement of components as part of a time change schedule. I list all my consumables on the computer and keep stock.

Two good old rules:
If you want to add something to the airplane, throw it up in the air and if it hits the ground with a THUNK, its too heavy to be installed.
If you change one thing on a proven design, it affects 20 others.

See Drawing Attached or below. I don't know which shows on matronics:

Regards,
Bud Yerly

[url=https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=2161856909618aa7&page=play&resid=2161856909618AA7!356&parId=2161856909618AA7!355&type=1&authkey=!AMh42rDkVTfHM0E][img]cid:003d01cf97bf$774a9d00$3D78DB64(at)Yerly[/img][/url]


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tonyrenshaw268(at)gmail.c
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 04, 2014 12:46 pm    Post subject: DOOR detached during flight Reply with quote

John and all,
Mal Mc Lures "lock" design is a simple two engaging blocks such that the door is closed and the middle part of the door frame is pulled in, and over this step arrangement. They are no more than 20x20 x 6mm in size, with a single rivet holding them in place, and maybe some redux underneath, knowing how Mal built. So you close the door, pull in at the middle bottom until it clicks, and then actuate closed. If something so simple needs a mod, and how you would do any stress analysis, and of what, anything is a mute point. I would say it would be impossible and based on a raft of other suppositions. It's a simple addition, not a mod per se.
TR
Sent from my iPad

Quote:
On 4 Jul 2014, at 2:26 am, "John Wighton" <john(at)wighton.net> wrote:



Can we just get one thing straight - the hinge did not break. The structure has torn away around the hinge due to a tear-out failure mode. The force generated by the door flying up means that almost any airworthy structure would have failed.

There is nothing wrong with the hinge design or manufacture. Build to the spec and ensure the pins are engaged and the system is 100% reliable.

Any changes to this area is deemed to be a mod and would need to be justified by a stress analysis and design submission to the LAA (in the UK).

Regards
JW

--------
John Wighton
Europa XS trigear G-IPOD




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PostPosted: Fri Jul 04, 2014 1:52 pm    Post subject: DOOR detached during flight Reply with quote

Tony
exactly! Perfect description of what to me was obvious but my tongue isn't
fluent enough to describe it. Or maybe I haven't the patience top type it out! {{!:-0
Graham


From: Tony Renshaw <tonyrenshaw268(at)gmail.com>
To: "europa-list(at)matronics.com" <europa-list(at)matronics.com>
Sent: Friday, 4 July 2014, 21:43
Subject: Re: Re: DOOR detached during flight


--> Europa-List message posted by: Tony Renshaw <tonyrenshaw268(at)gmail.com (tonyrenshaw268(at)gmail.com)>

John and all,
Mal Mc Lures "lock" design is a simple two engaging blocks such that the door is closed and the middle part of the door frame is pulled in, and over this step arrangement. They are no more than 20x20 x 6mm in size, with a single rivet holding them in place, and maybe some redux underneath, knowing how Mal built. So you close the door, pull in at the middle bottom until it clicks, and then actuate closed. If something so simple needs a mod, and how you would do any stress analysis, and of what, anything is a mute point. I would say it would be impossible and based on a raft of other suppositions. It's a simple addition, not a mod per se.
TR
Sent from my iPad

Quote:
On 4 Jul 2014, at 2:26 am, "John Wighton" <john(at)wighton.net (john(at)wighton.net)> wrote:

--> Europa-List message posted by: "John Wighton" <john(at)wighton.net (john(at)wighton.net)>

Can we just get one thing straight - the hinge did not break. The structure has torn away around the hinge due to a tear-out failure mode. The force generated by the door flying up means that almost any airworthy structure would have failed.

There is nothing wrong with the hinge design or manufacture. Build to the spec and ensure the pins are engaged and the system is 100% reliable.

Any changes to this area is deemed to be a mod and would need to be justified by a stress analysis and design submission to the LAA (in the UK).

Regards
JW

--------
John Wighton
Europa XS trigear G-IPOD




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rparigoris



Joined: 24 Nov 2009
Posts: 790

PostPosted: Fri Jul 04, 2014 1:59 pm    Post subject: Re: DOOR detached during flight Reply with quote

Hi Group

FWIW I used a single passive pin and striker made out of Stainless for the center of the door. The door has a high enough factor of "wiggleation" to easily allow engagement when closing:
http://www.europaowners.org/main.php?g2_itemId=29082&g2_page=3
(near top)
If the rear shoot isn't engaged, my bet would be that the door is going to depart in flight even with the passive pin.
BTW I used a modified McMaster suction cup (a little below middle of page 3 link) for a door pull handle. If an extension rope is needed it's EZ added.
In addition to using checklist to check door before take off, I added McMaster switches to the rear shoot:
http://www.europaowners.org/main.php?g2_itemId=29497
(near bottom)
These are very nice water resistant high quality switches, the same I'm using on my outriggers and Beechcraft uses for their gear interlocks. My business is copiers. Over the years I have seen Osram and many other low time switches go flaky and not make all the time (minimal, moderate and near rated current draw). Thus far I never had a problem with the outrageous expensive McMaster switches I've used for applications I want tainted for best reliability.
Ron Parigoris


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g-fizy



Joined: 27 May 2012
Posts: 46
Location: uk

PostPosted: Fri Jul 04, 2014 11:33 pm    Post subject: Re: DOOR detached during flight Reply with quote

just a note the front hinge broke and the back hinge remained intact
i dont no if they was the cause of the door failing ,,BUT i have had i lot of been Their Done that comments .
So How many Doors have Detached In flight

even if the back pin has not located correctly the front should still be able to keep the door closed for safty reasons

i am just glad they got down ok looking at the elevator damage they were lucky


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kingsnjan(at)westnet.com.
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 05, 2014 1:04 am    Post subject: DOOR detached during flight Reply with quote

Graham,
Sorry but my previous email went prematurely for some unknown reason.
I shall try again .........
The little auxiliary latches you refer to on Mal's plane do not guarantee the proper engagement of the rear shoot bolts. I have had several instances where the rear shoot bolt has not engaged properly but so far it has been quite obvious at the time. I find the doors are somewhat temperamental to temperature and how long they have been left open. Most of the time they shut quite easily but sometimes they are the pits to shut from the inside and the little latches have no affect in respect of either.
Cheers mate
Kingsley

Sent from my iPad

On 4 Jul 2014, at 7:24 am, GRAHAM SINGLETON <grahamsingleton(at)btinternet.com (grahamsingleton(at)btinternet.com)> wrote:
[quote]Yes. Mal McLure, years ago.
Kingsley, do you have details of it?
Graham
Quote:

[b]


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grahamsingleton(at)btinte
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 05, 2014 1:58 am    Post subject: DOOR detached during flight Reply with quote

That's disappointing. I was sure when he demonstrated it to me that the rear bolt
had to go in if the latch was engaged.

I spent several days designing and building a third bolt midway along the rail.
(Paul McAllister's XS) On that one the bolts would not move unless the middle
bolt could enter its hole. Not really keen on it though, it weakens the rail and is really fiddly to do.

Graham



The little auxiliary latches you refer to on Mal's plane do not guarantee the proper engagement of the rear shoot bolts. I have had several instances where the rear shoot bolt has not engaged properly but so far it has been quite obvious at the time. I find the doors are somewhat temperamental to temperature and how long they have been left open. Most of the time they shut quite easily but sometimes they are the pits to shut from the inside and the little latches have no affect in respect of either.
Cheers mate
Kingsley

Sent from my iPad

On 4 Jul 2014, at 7:24 am, GRAHAM SINGLETON <grahamsingleton(at)btinternet.com (grahamsingleton(at)btinternet.com)> wrote:
[quote]Yes. Mal McLure, years ago.
Kingsley, do you have details of it?
Graham
Quote:

http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Europa-L="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.matronics.com/contributi==

[b]


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John Wighton



Joined: 18 May 2010
Posts: 240

PostPosted: Sat Jul 05, 2014 4:33 am    Post subject: Re: DOOR detached during flight Reply with quote

The idea of a hinge designed to fail first after a door opening in flight incident is interesting. Best to prevent the door opening in the first place?

The C150 Aerobat and other planes have doors that can be jettisoned deliberately to aid egress in the event of an inflight incident (like the wings folding maybe). This idea seems sound as it is in keeping with the regs for the category of aircraft.

For those who wish to add structurally inefficient kgs to the weight of their aircraft then reinforcing the doors may be a route they wish to take. But where does this process end? Double harnesses in case one fails? Spare set of wings!

If the number of unintended canopy/door incidents is sufficient the LAA will no doubt take a view and introduce a fix via an MPD. Personally l think the incidents recorded appear to be low in comparison to the total fleet flights. Perhaps we can get this info from MM at the LAA?


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