REFLECTOR: Unexpected door opening

Fri Jun 5 22:09:52 CDT 2009

How about some left over micro/epoxy in a straw.  When cured peel off the 
straw. Almost lighter than air and free if you  reuse a straw from McDonalds. 
   Talk about E-Z guy's being  cheap!!!      Works great.   I did have a  
wood dowel that did swell in the bore and got stuck!
     Ken

In a message dated 6/5/2009 10:06:33 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  v
elocity_pilot at verizon.net writes:

I have some carbon  fiber arrow shaft pieces in there for mine- got an 
arrow on sale at Wal-Mart  for $ 2.99- would make about 6 or 8  tubes I would 
think. works great-  sort of self lubricating, and no measurable  weight. 

____________________________________

From:  reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On 
Behalf Of Scott Baker
Sent: Monday, July 20, 2009 7:00  PM
To: Jim Agnew; Velocity  Aircraft Owners and Builders list
Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Unexpected door  opening

I think the liklihood of four (4)  areas of failed fiberglass in the 
receiver areas is slim to  none.

Not engaging the pins into the  receiver - likely if the door handle is not 
rotated to its fully closed  position.  Definately a possibility if there 
is no micro switch and  warning light to tell the pilot that the pins are not 
fully  engaged.

Good point on the possible problem  of using wooden dowels as a "pin 
extension".  If the dowels were to  become stuck in the tube and remain in contact 
with the micro switch, it would  cause a false "door locked" indication 
(absence of a door ajar warning);  however I would hope that we would recognize 
this situation following start  and taxi (meaning we want to verify the 
door ajar warning should be ON with  the door open).

SB

----- Original Message -----  

From: _Jim  Agnew_ (mailto:jim_agnew_2 at yahoo.com)  

To: _Velocity  Aircraft Owners and Builders list_ 
(mailto:reflector at tvbf.org)  

Sent: Friday,  June 05, 2009 5:39 PM

Subject: Re:  REFLECTOR: Unexpected door opening

Al,

There are several failure modes for the door  latches.  First the tubes 
that accept the latch pins could fail I.E.,  part from the fiberglass.  Second 
the latch pins may not be deep enough  into the tubes so the stress is on 
the flat portion and not the tapered part  that will try to push itself out. 
Third the latch pin can unscrew from the  push rod (I know one of mine did 
even with locktite on the threads, I  now use RED Locktite on them).  

I have auto locking so closing the latches  automatically locks them and 
you must pull up on the door lock before you  can move the handle.

As far as the door warning switches go I only  have one in the forward 
center pin location with a nylon mushroom button  that activates a roller micro 
switch.  I know a lot are in the bottom  tubes with wood rods that can swell 
from water and in the perfect place to  collect dirt that can jam them.  

Just food for  thought.

JIm

James  F. Agnew 
_Jim_Agnew_2 at Yahoo.Com_ (mailto:Jim_Agnew_2 at Yahoo.Com)  
Tampa, FL 
Velocity 173 Elite Aircraft Completed &  Flying 

____________________________________

From: Al  Gietzen <ALVentures at cox.net>
To: Velocity  Aircraft Owners and Builders list  <reflector at tvbf.org>
Sent: Friday, June 5, 2009 1:48:33  PM
Subject: Re: REFLECTOR:  Unexpected door opening 

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   
Robin; 
My thought is  that we essentially have 4 ‘deadbolts’ in the current 
configuration.  We simply need a ‘dead sure’ way of knowing they are in  place. 
My further  observation is (added to by my experience flying home with a 
temporary door)  that net outward forces on the door in flight are relatively 
small – at  least compared to the strength of the four latches. I think 
there is likely  some negative (outward) pressure over much of the door, likely 
stronger  toward the front edge, and some positive (inward) pressure in the 
area of  the strake extension, and its junction.  
I have no idea if  there are forces due to small distortion of the fuselage 
during flight that  may work to move the latch pins out of the tubes, but 
it is not  impossible. 
FWIW, 
Al

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