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Geoff Heap
Joined: 12 Jan 2006
Posts: 266
Location: Lindenwold, New Jersey
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 Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2009 6:16 am Post subject: 701 Door ripped off. Just a comment |
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Working on my doors brought to mind the recent incident of a door flipping up in the slipstream. From what I remember the handle smashed a hole in the underside of the wing then the whole door ripped off and caused damage to the H. Stab and rudder. This sounds pretty catastrophic to me. The plane landed OK. I can’t find the post now. I believe it was in Nov/Dec 2008. Any one else remember this?
Any way, considering that most pilots I know have had a Cessna door pop open in flight (Personally I’ve had this happen twice during climb outs) it seems that it WILL happen sooner or later to me. (Don’t know about you). I might consider moving the handle to the fwd lower corner as I've seen in an 801 Photo. This looks like it would better prevent the wind getting in the front door line, although in the incident I read about the pilot thought the door handle was in the closed position but stated that it might have not been in the full closed position. This is a problem with the top hinged door that I never considered until this post. I can also look over my old plans to consider the original hinge location. ....Geoff....
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dougsnash
Joined: 14 Apr 2008
Posts: 281
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| Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2009 8:42 am Post subject: 701 Door ripped off. Just a comment |
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Geoff, I believe it was John Gilpen (of the vortex generator fame) that originally posted this incident. I am not sure if the incident was with standard doors or with the new bubble doors. I do know however, the new bubble doors (picked up in Sept)that I have for my 701 have the latches at the lower front corner just as you suggested.
Doug MacDonald
CH-701 Scratch Builder
Closing up the wings for the final time.
NW Ontario, Canada
Do Not Archive
--- On Mon, 1/5/09, Geoff Heap <stol10(at)comcast.net> wrote:
| Quote: | From: Geoff Heap <stol10(at)comcast.net>
Subject: 701 Door ripped off. Just a comment
To: zenith701801-list(at)matronics.com
Date: Monday, January 5, 2009, 8:16 AM
Heap" <stol10(at)comcast.net>
Working on my doors brought to mind the recent incident of
a door flipping up in the slipstream. From what I remember
the handle smashed a hole in the underside of the wing then
the whole door ripped off and caused damage to the H. Stab
and rudder. This sounds pretty catastrophic to me. The plane
landed OK. I can’t find the post now. I believe it
was in Nov/Dec 2008. Any one else remember this?
Any way, considering that most pilots I know have had a
Cessna door pop open in flight (Personally I’ve had
this happen twice during climb outs) it seems that it WILL
happen sooner or later to me. (Don’t know about you).
I might consider moving the handle to the fwd lower corner
as I've seen in an 801 Photo. This looks like it would
better prevent the wind getting in the front door line,
although in the incident I read about the pilot thought the
door handle was in the closed position but stated that it
might have not been in the full closed position. This is a
problem with the top hinged door that I never considered
until this post. I can also look over my old plans to
consider the original hinge location. ....Geoff....
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georgerace
Joined: 25 Oct 2006
Posts: 788
Location: Albion, MI
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| Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2009 9:20 am Post subject: 701 Door ripped off. Just a comment |
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I also had the bubble doors with the latches forward at the bottom of the
door.
A very simple way of assuring they stay latched is to install one of the
small diameter bungee cords that are available to the structure below the
door handle. Close the hooks on the bungee so they cannot come loose.
Close the door and then slip the loop of the small bungee up over the door
handle. If the bungee is hooked directly below the center of the inside
door handle it will easily stay in place during flight assuring it will not
be somehow bumped and opened.
George
http://www.mykitairplane.com
| Quote: |
Working on my doors brought to mind the recent incident of a door
flipping up in the slipstream.
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_________________
Check out my CH-701 project at:
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vgstol(at)bigpond.net.au
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| Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2009 12:16 pm Post subject: 701 Door ripped off. Just a comment |
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You can access all the details of that incident, including photos and an improved latch system that we installed on both our local 701's at http://www.stolspeed.com/701-door-warning
This was the original door design, but in re-building we strengthened the gussets to make it much more rigid. The new latch system is easy to adopt, using the same position for the handle, but with the weight of the handle tending to hold it closed, and a longer tang to engage the frame so that it takes much more rotation to disengage. Also includes a sliding rod that engages the rear of the door, keeping it well sealed. It was simple to do and works real well.
JohnG
[quote] ---
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dougsnash
Joined: 14 Apr 2008
Posts: 281
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| Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2009 12:32 pm Post subject: 701 Door ripped off. Just a comment |
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John, I was correct that the original post was from you 
Just for intrest sake, while the new door latch assembly from Zenith doesn't have the additional rod to the back, the front latch tang that you are using is similar is size to the newer Zenith ones.
Additionally, if anyone is using the new fiberglass edged bubble doors, I don't think that this would be much of an issue, they are pretty solid and even seem to have some pre-load to them that should keep them tightly closed at the back edge.
Definately with the older style lexan/aluminum doors, I could see this opening in flight sort of thing happening.
Happy building
Do Not Archive
Doug MacDonald
CH-701 Scratch Builder
NW Ontario, Canada
--- On Mon, 1/5/09, JG <vgstol(at)bigpond.net.au> wrote:
| Quote: | From: JG <vgstol(at)bigpond.net.au>
Subject: Re: 701 Door ripped off. Just a comment
To: zenith701801-list(at)matronics.com
Date: Monday, January 5, 2009, 2:14 PM
You can access all the details of that incident, including
photos and an improved latch system that we installed on
both our local 701's at
http://www.stolspeed.com/701-door-warning
This was the original door design, but in re-building we
strengthened the gussets to make it much more rigid. The
new latch system is easy to adopt, using the same position
for the handle, but with the weight of the handle tending to
hold it closed, and a longer tang to engage the frame so
that it takes much more rotation to disengage. Also
includes a sliding rod that engages the rear of the door,
keeping it well sealed. It was simple to do and works real
well.
JohnG
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vgstol(at)bigpond.net.au
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| Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2009 2:33 pm Post subject: 701 Door ripped off. Just a comment |
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Yep, still here Doug. Just lurking right now, but some really interesting tuft testing coming up.
JohnG
Do not archive
[quote] ---
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Geoff Heap
Joined: 12 Jan 2006
Posts: 266
Location: Lindenwold, New Jersey
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| Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2009 5:49 am Post subject: Re: 701 Door ripped off. Just a comment |
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Gentlemen
Thanks for your answers. I will go with a stronger, linked multiple rod lock. looks easy, and more resistant to break in. ....Geoff
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