Glider pilot rolls inverted and exits at 1400 feet AGL

I notice that he did not jettison his canopy, just opened it.
In the first frame you can see it still attached.

Still worked out ok.

On Saturday, August 2, 2014 10:21:11 AM UTC-4, wrote:
I notice that he did not jettison his canopy, just opened it.
Still worked out ok...

Please be sure you understand the bailout sequence for
any aircraft you fly. For SH gliders (as this appears
to be), jettisoning the (non-Roget-hook-equipped) canopy
can result in the canopy swinging sideways and hitting
you in the head and incapacitating you, or merely
breaking your jaw as happened to a friend of mine.
Consequently, IIRC the procedure was changed to open
only and do NOT pull the jettison knob.

Please be safe out there and MAKE SURE you know
your jettison procedure! Then periodically practice
on the ground...
Best Regards, Dave

On 2014-08-02 14:21:11 +0000, said:

I notice that he did not jettison his canopy, just opened it.
In the first frame you can see it still attached.

Still worked out ok.

You seem to be able to see the canopy frame attached, but you can see
the canopy itself up to the left of the tailplane.

On Saturday, August 2, 2014 8:14:49 AM UTC-7, Dave Nadler wrote:
On Saturday, August 2, 2014 10:21:11 AM UTC-4, wrote:

I notice that he did not jettison his canopy, just opened it.

Still worked out ok...



Please be sure you understand the bailout sequence for

any aircraft you fly. For SH gliders (as this appears

to be), jettisoning the (non-Roget-hook-equipped) canopy

can result in the canopy swinging sideways and hitting

you in the head and incapacitating you, or merely

breaking your jaw as happened to a friend of mine.

Consequently, IIRC the procedure was changed to open

only and do NOT pull the jettison knob.



Please be safe out there and MAKE SURE you know

your jettison procedure! Then periodically practice

on the ground...

Best Regards, Dave

Dave,

I'm curious about your comment regarding changes in recommended bailout procedures for SH type sailplanes. I don't find any reference to not jettisoning the canopy on the SH website and there are no listed changes to the Nimbus 3 flight manual. The FM recommends first opening the left side and then raising the canopy and pulling the hinge pins. This is the way I practice it, however, honestly I've never been convinced the canopy would really go away. Front release and a Roeger hook has always seemed like a better solution.

Glad to see that the UK pilot got away safely regardless of how it was accomplished.

Thanks,
Craig 7Q

On Sun, 03 Aug 2014 04:18:17 +1200, Bruce Hoult wrote:

On 2014-08-02 14:21:11 +0000, said:

I notice that he did not jettison his canopy, just opened it.
In the first frame you can see it still attached.

Still worked out ok.

You seem to be able to see the canopy frame attached, but you can see
the canopy itself up to the left of the tailplane.

Agreed. It looks to me as if the frame stayed attached to the fuselage
while the plastic blew out. The latter is quite hard to see and has at
most some paint round its edges.


--
martin@ | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
org |

At 16:21 02 August 2014, Craig Funston wrote:

I'm curious about your comment regarding changes in
recommended bailout
pro=
cedures for SH type sailplanes. I don't find any reference to
not
jettison=
ing the canopy on the SH website and there are no listed
changes to the
Nim=
bus 3 flight manual. The FM recommends first opening the left
side and
then=
raising the canopy and pulling the hinge pins. This is the
way I
practice=
it, however, honestly I've never been convinced the canopy
would really
go=
away. Front release and a Roeger hook has always seemed
like a better
sol=
ution.

Glad to see that the UK pilot got away safely regardless of
how it was
acco=
mplished.

Thanks,
Craig 7Q

I can't speak for the Nimbus 3 but for more modern SH gliders
to jettison the canopy you open the canopy with the left side
handle as usual and the right side hinges and canopy position
cord are designed to tear away. The black right side canopy
removal knob is only for removal for maintenance etc (and for
confusing with the nearby fuel valve in turbos - especially when
the canopy is open on the ground).

I found that good ways to accidentally practice (almost)
jettisoning modern SH canopies are to catch the left side
opening handle in the cuff of a long sleeve shirt or in a glove.

John Galloway

On Saturday, August 2, 2014 12:21:21 PM UTC-4, Craig Funston wrote:
I'm curious about your comment regarding changes in recommended bailout
procedures for SH type sailplanes. I don't find any reference to not
jettisoning the canopy on the SH website and there are no listed changes
to the Nimbus 3 flight manual. The FM recommends first opening the left
side and then raising the canopy and pulling the hinge pins. This is
the way I practice it, however, honestly I've never been convinced
the canopy would really go away. Front release and a Roeger hook
has always seemed like a better solution.

Hi Craig - My original Ventus B manual had same recommendation a
your manual. IIRC the Duo manual has the newer procedure (but I
sold that glider a couple years ago - don't have a manual handy
to check). I really don't know about flight manual updates for
older SH gliders.
Best to contact your SH dealer!

Hope that helps,
Best Regards, Dave

PS: You'll remember Roy had his jaw wired shut for a while until
the bones healed; we sent him a pizza ;-)

On Saturday, 2 August 2014 17:51:09 UTC+1, Martin Gregorie wrote:
On Sun, 03 Aug 2014 04:18:17 +1200, Bruce Hoult wrote:



On 2014-08-02 14:21:11 +0000, said:



I notice that he did not jettison his canopy, just opened it.

In the first frame you can see it still attached.



Still worked out ok.



You seem to be able to see the canopy frame attached, but you can see

the canopy itself up to the left of the tailplane.



Agreed. It looks to me as if the frame stayed attached to the fuselage

while the plastic blew out. The latter is quite hard to see and has at

most some paint round its edges.





--

martin@ | Martin Gregorie

gregorie. | Essex, UK

org |

When I had my midair the canopy broke away from the frame in the impact leaving the frame in place - and it was still in place later on in the wreckage. The pilot in the other glider, an ASW 27 which has a front hinged cockpit, used the normal canopy release, and had to squeeze himself out against wind pressure between the edge of the cockpit and the canopy. The whole canopy was still attached to the wreckage afterwards. He was surprised to discover this - he thought he had used the red emergency jettison levers, which are ahead of the white canopy release levers in Schleicher gliders. It must have been much more difficult for him to get out (but happily like me he was unhurt). There is a moral there - regularly practice your bail out routine.

On Sat, 02 Aug 2014 13:56:59 -0700, waremark wrote:

When I had my midair the canopy broke away from the frame in the impact
leaving the frame in place - and it was still in place later on in the
wreckage. The pilot in the other glider, an ASW 27 which has a front
hinged cockpit, used the normal canopy release, and had to squeeze
himself out against wind pressure between the edge of the cockpit and
the canopy. The whole canopy was still attached to the wreckage
afterwards. He was surprised to discover this - he thought he had used
the red emergency jettison levers, which are ahead of the white canopy
release levers in Schleicher gliders. It must have been much more
difficult for him to get out (but happily like me he was unhurt). There
is a moral there - regularly practice your bail out routine.

Has anybody bailed out from a Libelle or knows anybody who has? I'm just
wondering if the two rear pins act as a pseudo Roeger Hook and/or if you
need to guard against the canopy clobbering your head as it departs


--
martin@ | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
org |

On Saturday, August 2, 2014 10:51:49 AM UTC-7, Dave Nadler wrote:
On Saturday, August 2, 2014 12:21:21 PM UTC-4, Craig Funston wrote:

I'm curious about your comment regarding changes in recommended bailout

procedures for SH type sailplanes. I don't find any reference to not

jettisoning the canopy on the SH website and there are no listed changes

to the Nimbus 3 flight manual. The FM recommends first opening the left

side and then raising the canopy and pulling the hinge pins. This is

the way I practice it, however, honestly I've never been convinced

the canopy would really go away. Front release and a Roeger hook

has always seemed like a better solution.



Hi Craig - My original Ventus B manual had same recommendation a

your manual. IIRC the Duo manual has the newer procedure (but I

sold that glider a couple years ago - don't have a manual handy

to check). I really don't know about flight manual updates for

older SH gliders.

Best to contact your SH dealer!



Hope that helps,

Best Regards, Dave



PS: You'll remember Roy had his jaw wired shut for a while until

the bones healed; we sent him a pizza ;-)

Thanks Dave,

The Duo and Arcus have massive expanses of plexi and trying to jettison them definitely seems problematic. I'll dig into it a bit further for the Nimbus.

Best regards,
Craig