REFLECTOR: Unexpected door opening

[jewen at comporium.net]

On the surface modifying the door latch to improve security seems to be a good idea.  Rescue in an emergency situation has always lead me to a have a bit of concern.  Assume a pilot has an incident and is incapacitated, the incident has left the AC inverted and the pilot side door is blocked.  The factory system leaves no method, short of a fire ax, to open the copilot side door from ground rescue.  On mu AC, I have followed the factory system, except that I added the external release to the copilot side (and I hope it will never be needed.)

How many open door incidents have occured using the factory system?  Is a better warning system for an improperly secured door needed, such as limit switches on all latching pins?

Joe

---- Original message ----
>Date: Mon, 1 Jun 2009 22:57:57 -0500
>From: "Robin Ream" <rream at satx.rr.com>  
>Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Unexpected door opening  
>To: "Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list" <reflector at tvbf.org>
>
>   Hello Guys,
>      
>       In light of the experiences we have all had at
>   some point in our flying days, doors have always
>   been a pain in the back side.  I don't think there's
>   anyone with 200 hours on the log book that hasn't
>   had a door problem on some kind of aircraft whether
>   certified or experimental.  Fortunately, most doors
>   open like standard car doors in that they're hinged
>   from the front and if they come unlatched during any
>   phase of flight it usually just scares the crap out
>   of us and there is no real calamity.  Gull wing
>   doors are a different situation though.  While
>   they're wonderful for entrance and egress on the
>   tarmac, they are a serious problem if they
>   malfunction in the air, and here's the question: 
>   Are there many of you flying Velocities who are
>   re-thinking the advantages and disadvantages of the
>   gull wing door, and if so, what are you finding the
>   solutions to be?  --  And for those who at the end
>   of your personal deliberations who would still opt
>   for the gull wing, would something as simple as a
>   deadbolt (weighing only a few ounces) serve as a
>   fail-safe back-up to the traditional lock assembly? 
>   Thanks for your thoughts.
>    
>   Robin
>
>     ------------------------------------------------
>
>     ----- Original Message -----
>     From: Al Gietzen
>     To: 'Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list'
>     Sent: Monday, June 01, 2009 1:42 PM
>     Subject: REFLECTOR: Unexpected door opening
>
>      
>
>     By “we” I assume you had someone sitting in
>     the passenger seat when this all happened?   What
>     was their version of the story as the door
>     disappeared, I assume they were buckled in.    
>
>     Yes; my good friend, and fellow Velocity builder,
>     was with me.  He was kind enough to compliment my
>     bringing the plane to a safe landing; and during
>     the ordeal, was helpful in answering my queries
>     about runway lengths and call frequencies.  Other
>     than that he hasn’t said much; but would have
>     every right to have been very frightened. He was
>     very helpful in working with me in the process of
>     recovering the airplane. A greater friend would be
>     very hard to find.
>
>      
>
>     Great job of handling the emergency and “flying
>     the plane.”    One of our local velocitites had
>     the pilot door come open a few months ago which
>     stayed attached and the plane was almost
>     uncontrollable.
>
>     With that it makes 4 cases that I am aware of.  I
>     am fortunate that the door departed the plane, but
>     at about 200 mph, that’s the likely outcome. 
>     Also very fortunate that it did not impact the
>     prop.
>
>      
>
>     Al
>
>        
>
>      
>
>      
>
>     ------------------------------------------------
>
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