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Old May 10th 19, 10:29 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Nick Kennedy[_3_]
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Default Escaping glider on the ground with stuck canopy?

In Soaring several years ago, a guy wrote a story about this happening to him, flying I believe was a SZD 55. He was on a Safari starting in Minden to Ely. He screwed up and landed in the mountains east of the Monitor Valley. Long story short he got a aero town out of there. While launching he hit his head very hard on the canopy. After he landed in Ely he couldn't open the canopy due to the rear pins being bent from his head hitting the canopy. Could not raise anyone on the radio and no one was around on the ground to help. He started to panic and remembered the emergency release. Luckily it worked and he got out before he over heated.

I wonder if trapped and the emergency release didn't work it you could put your hat over your fist and break the canopy bit by bit by hitting it near the vent window. A younger fellow might, a older gent maybe not.