Doors opening in flight.
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Thanks Jock.
Last time it did pop on roation so I climbed to about 400 before trying to close it. Thought that would give me enough height to sort it out. Finally did but by then my tracking was all over the place.
At least I'll be ready next time.
You're right there. Must be a bit extreme if you're dropping parachutes.
being a rookie thought I'd check with real pilots about what is normal and what is not. Some flying schools seem to be more like Used Car salesmen than anything else.
I'm getting used to it.
Thanks.
Last time it did pop on roation so I climbed to about 400 before trying to close it. Thought that would give me enough height to sort it out. Finally did but by then my tracking was all over the place.
At least I'll be ready next time.
You're right there. Must be a bit extreme if you're dropping parachutes.
being a rookie thought I'd check with real pilots about what is normal and what is not. Some flying schools seem to be more like Used Car salesmen than anything else.
I'm getting used to it.
Thanks.
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400ft is way to low. Anyway if your engine stops you won't have to worry about popping the door before you plant it in a field.
Get your self sorted out, on track at altitude with a FREDA check out the way and then start fannying about trying to get it shut.
Get your self sorted out, on track at altitude with a FREDA check out the way and then start fannying about trying to get it shut.
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Never flown a Cessna before instructing, all Robins, PA28's & 38's so there I am on my first trial lesson and I say to the punter
"Would you like me to take your picture whilst your flying?"
"Sure" he says, and passes me the camera, So I get the snap with a view from the front, then the picture from over his shoulder, now its time for the side on snap, ah not enough room, not to worry after all Ive become something of an expert of taking these kind of pics of friends over the years, ill just lean back a tad and get as much room as I can, next thing the bloomin doors opening!
It happend again on rotation yesterday on another trial lesson, went to try and close it for about 2 seconds and just thought "Screw it, fly the **** heap and sort it once level"
Must remember to add gaffa tape to my flight bag!
"Would you like me to take your picture whilst your flying?"
"Sure" he says, and passes me the camera, So I get the snap with a view from the front, then the picture from over his shoulder, now its time for the side on snap, ah not enough room, not to worry after all Ive become something of an expert of taking these kind of pics of friends over the years, ill just lean back a tad and get as much room as I can, next thing the bloomin doors opening!
It happend again on rotation yesterday on another trial lesson, went to try and close it for about 2 seconds and just thought "Screw it, fly the **** heap and sort it once level"
Must remember to add gaffa tape to my flight bag!
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I know I'm strapped in and the plane is still going to fly but is this normal? Wondered if the mechanics might be a bit slack or if I should choose another school?
Although on its own it doesn't matter that much it may be indicative of the general attitude of the school to maintenance.
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SNS3Guppy Thats the kind of post I like!
Ill try it out, after the first one I have to admit I was going for the "slam it hard" method, ill try out yours now, if it fails Ive got the gaffer tape on standby!
Ill try it out, after the first one I have to admit I was going for the "slam it hard" method, ill try out yours now, if it fails Ive got the gaffer tape on standby!
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Door came open on a 152 when I was taking my first ever passenger for a ride.
As this had happened during training it didn't surprise or upset me, I just made sure he didn't drop anything out of the aircraft and explained that the seat belt was what stopped him falling out, the door was just to keep the draught off.
As this had happened during training it didn't surprise or upset me, I just made sure he didn't drop anything out of the aircraft and explained that the seat belt was what stopped him falling out, the door was just to keep the draught off.
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Ah, yes the old door opening 152 trick
Had it happen to me twice in training, once surprising, once embarrassing.
The first time was in the cruise, I think (it was nearly 20 years ago and old cranial hard drive ain't what it used to be). The door popped open and surprised me, but what nearly scared me to death was my instructor, a fun lass, shouting with glee right next to me! She was delighted that I'd had that distraction to contend with, as it was such a good training experience, and went on at length as to how she wished the 152 was equipped with some kind of mechanism for instructor-initiated door openings!
The second time was on my first cross country with said instructor, at first away-airport, taxying out to the hold, when not only did the door pop open but the chart made its bid for freedom and flung itself out the door and made a run for it aided by the slipstream. Great! Now what? I looked over at her and she smiled and said "Well, you better go get it then!". We were already stopped, she held the brakes, I unstrapped, nipped out the already-open door and trotted back about 100 feet behind the airplane to get the chart. All of this visible from the tower and nearby restaurant. Felt a bit of a prat, I did!
Still, happy days and managed to get my license despite self-opening doors.
Oh, yeah, and I keep my chart stuffed under my leg now when I'm not actively looking at it!
The first time was in the cruise, I think (it was nearly 20 years ago and old cranial hard drive ain't what it used to be). The door popped open and surprised me, but what nearly scared me to death was my instructor, a fun lass, shouting with glee right next to me! She was delighted that I'd had that distraction to contend with, as it was such a good training experience, and went on at length as to how she wished the 152 was equipped with some kind of mechanism for instructor-initiated door openings!
The second time was on my first cross country with said instructor, at first away-airport, taxying out to the hold, when not only did the door pop open but the chart made its bid for freedom and flung itself out the door and made a run for it aided by the slipstream. Great! Now what? I looked over at her and she smiled and said "Well, you better go get it then!". We were already stopped, she held the brakes, I unstrapped, nipped out the already-open door and trotted back about 100 feet behind the airplane to get the chart. All of this visible from the tower and nearby restaurant. Felt a bit of a prat, I did!
Still, happy days and managed to get my license despite self-opening doors.
Oh, yeah, and I keep my chart stuffed under my leg now when I'm not actively looking at it!
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Guppy gave good information. Try to always open the window, to get a firm grip on the door frame itself. That little handle inside is not as tough as it looks.
Playing with the rudder will ease the effort, but considerable co-ordination is required. When I flew jump 182/185, the upward swinging door could be very precisely opened and closed with the rudder pedals.
Playing with the rudder will ease the effort, but considerable co-ordination is required. When I flew jump 182/185, the upward swinging door could be very precisely opened and closed with the rudder pedals.
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152 is the only aircraft I've had it happen to me on and I wouldn't describe it as abnormal. As others have said, don't try to close it until you are at a safe height. It doesn't affect handling and it doesn't open that far either.
Of more concern is the seat rolling back or the seat back failing. I used to fly a Robin DR400. That has a sliding canopy. When you get in the position of the top of the screen means you can only just about stand upright without falling over backwards. Sitting down requires you to support yourself with your arms. Too many people put a hand on the seat back to take their weight as they slide down. After parking one day I leaned back in the seat to release the canopy latch and bang - I was flat on my back. The seat back joint had snapped due to fatigue. If that happened shortly after take-off the results could be fatal, as they have been where the seat has rolled back.
Of more concern is the seat rolling back or the seat back failing. I used to fly a Robin DR400. That has a sliding canopy. When you get in the position of the top of the screen means you can only just about stand upright without falling over backwards. Sitting down requires you to support yourself with your arms. Too many people put a hand on the seat back to take their weight as they slide down. After parking one day I leaned back in the seat to release the canopy latch and bang - I was flat on my back. The seat back joint had snapped due to fatigue. If that happened shortly after take-off the results could be fatal, as they have been where the seat has rolled back.
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I had it happen in a 152 whilst on a lesson , i had my map, knee board, ruler pens and stopwatch "all usual student paraphernalia between the door and my leg and nearly lost the bl***dy lot ! 
I learned from that !
Austerwobbler
I learned from that !Austerwobbler
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Popped open for me on my recent UK flight as well. I was scudding under a cloud and was in a descent when it happened - startled me quite a bit. Luckily, it doesn't go far when in the yellow arc. Same flight also lost vacuum pump and had gusting to 30 knots crosswind on landing, so it was all rather exciting.
Landing was so ungraceful I briefly considered revoking my own license.
Landing was so ungraceful I briefly considered revoking my own license.
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A windshield failed in a Cessna 421 I was flying, last year. It blew out under pressure. It took the top of the glareshield and instrument panel with it (as well as some of the interior). On the glareshield was the checklist...so no checklist.
The cabin door on Seneca's is notoriously weak. The upper latch particularly has a habit on some airplanes of popping open. I flew a Seneca II doing ambulance work on a large Indian reservation, and had to pick up an infant from a remote field. The infant was in an isolette, and the airplane needed to be kept quite warm. The pickup was in the middle of winter. Enroute with the patient and mother, the door popped open.
The door has low pressure surrounding it's surface, particularly the upper radius, and it was drawing the warm air out...which the tempermental Janitrol heater had trouble replacing. We landed at an unattended airstrip, and I attempted to make a repair to the latch, which had failed. We took off, and the latch failed again.
I attempted to seal off the open edges using medical tape, but after several minutes, the tape was sucked out with a bang. The door opened a little more. I tried using sectional charts to block the open space. These stayed up simply by placing the chart over the opening, while the suction held them in place. This worked fine, using about a dozen charts, until the door opened more with a bang and all my charts were gone. As a last resort (nowhere to land now, over snow covered mountains and in and out of weather) I removed my coat and used that to seal the opening, when the door failed and out went the coat. I managed to retain one sleeve and pull the coat back into the airplane, where I used it to place over the infant isolette to shield it from the cold.
On the slamming door; I've seen door's completely broken on 150's and 152's from closing them too focefully. they tend to crack internally, diagonally across the door. They're not exactly overbuilt. Use caution with them, and remember that a door opening in flight isn't really the end of the world...think of it like a realistic distraction that your instructor may have used during your flight training, and nothing more.
If you're doing instrument work, bear in mind that the open door can alter your instrument readings, especially if you're using an alternate static source.
The cabin door on Seneca's is notoriously weak. The upper latch particularly has a habit on some airplanes of popping open. I flew a Seneca II doing ambulance work on a large Indian reservation, and had to pick up an infant from a remote field. The infant was in an isolette, and the airplane needed to be kept quite warm. The pickup was in the middle of winter. Enroute with the patient and mother, the door popped open.
The door has low pressure surrounding it's surface, particularly the upper radius, and it was drawing the warm air out...which the tempermental Janitrol heater had trouble replacing. We landed at an unattended airstrip, and I attempted to make a repair to the latch, which had failed. We took off, and the latch failed again.
I attempted to seal off the open edges using medical tape, but after several minutes, the tape was sucked out with a bang. The door opened a little more. I tried using sectional charts to block the open space. These stayed up simply by placing the chart over the opening, while the suction held them in place. This worked fine, using about a dozen charts, until the door opened more with a bang and all my charts were gone. As a last resort (nowhere to land now, over snow covered mountains and in and out of weather) I removed my coat and used that to seal the opening, when the door failed and out went the coat. I managed to retain one sleeve and pull the coat back into the airplane, where I used it to place over the infant isolette to shield it from the cold.
On the slamming door; I've seen door's completely broken on 150's and 152's from closing them too focefully. they tend to crack internally, diagonally across the door. They're not exactly overbuilt. Use caution with them, and remember that a door opening in flight isn't really the end of the world...think of it like a realistic distraction that your instructor may have used during your flight training, and nothing more.
If you're doing instrument work, bear in mind that the open door can alter your instrument readings, especially if you're using an alternate static source.
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piper warriors dont have that problem
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I've had a top lock open on a nearly new Cirrus. Couldn't close it in flight - diverted to shut it on the ground (was an alignment problem I think). I recall someone in the U.S had a door open in IMC shortly after takeoff - became disorientated (probably through fiddling with the door) and ended up pulling the chute.
Had a similar thing in an Archer - followed the "procedure" - opened the Clear vision panel, reduced airspeed etc but still couldn't get the darned thing shut until back on the ground.
Neither was a big issue - just a nuisance.
Had a similar thing in an Archer - followed the "procedure" - opened the Clear vision panel, reduced airspeed etc but still couldn't get the darned thing shut until back on the ground.
Neither was a big issue - just a nuisance.