Mon Jul 19, 2021 9:38 pm
#1859793
There's a couple of clubs you'd rather not be a member of which are sometimes referred to as "you either have or you have not yet" clubs.
Gear up landing
Engine failure
Have live mike whilst telling your passengers how those people in the tower annoy you
Take off with towbar attached/wallet on wing
etc.
Or, in my case, take off without making sure that the canopy is closed and latched. And making doubly sure that the canopy is closed and latched. Or making a conscious slap on the canopy part of the 'lights, camera, action' routine. Or any and all of the above.
Needless to say, the operator is entirely at fault and in a way I had a far better outcome than it could have been. As I opened the throttle and was glancing down at the ASI to come up, the canopy slid backwards, sucked upwards, dealt me a striking glance to the forehead and took my glasses with it but luckily did not appear to touch any other part of the aircraft on its way down to the grass where it shattered.
So aircraft OK, pilot OK and even pilot's glasses also OK. Canopy frame and bubble not so OK...
I'd like to say I've learnt my lesson but I have a sneaking suspicion this one will take a while to sink in and get through. My routines are clearly lacking.
So, if anyone has a spare Pitts double seater canopy hanging around or know of one hanging around, please let me know as I'd like to get back in to the air ...
Gear up landing
Engine failure
Have live mike whilst telling your passengers how those people in the tower annoy you
Take off with towbar attached/wallet on wing
etc.
Or, in my case, take off without making sure that the canopy is closed and latched. And making doubly sure that the canopy is closed and latched. Or making a conscious slap on the canopy part of the 'lights, camera, action' routine. Or any and all of the above.
Needless to say, the operator is entirely at fault and in a way I had a far better outcome than it could have been. As I opened the throttle and was glancing down at the ASI to come up, the canopy slid backwards, sucked upwards, dealt me a striking glance to the forehead and took my glasses with it but luckily did not appear to touch any other part of the aircraft on its way down to the grass where it shattered.
So aircraft OK, pilot OK and even pilot's glasses also OK. Canopy frame and bubble not so OK...
I'd like to say I've learnt my lesson but I have a sneaking suspicion this one will take a while to sink in and get through. My routines are clearly lacking.
So, if anyone has a spare Pitts double seater canopy hanging around or know of one hanging around, please let me know as I'd like to get back in to the air ...
We all live under the same sky, but we don't all have the same horizon.