Raimo=2C
Yes=2C I accept your reasoning=2C and I am surprised to read that Cessnas h
ave internal locks. Their checklists probably say to not have them locked o
n takeoff and landing. My PFA inspector would not have approved the mod=2C
although=2C my passenger door does have a pip pin lock for locking on the g
round only. Of course=2C if I were to end up inverted=2C which is very like
ly in a trigear=2C in an otherwise successful emergency landing=2C it would
n't make any difference whether doors were locked or not=2C as the doors co
uldn't be opened anyway=2C except with brute force. I keep meaning to get o
ne of those emergency exit hammers just for that nightmare situation=2C and
to reroute the fuel vent to the bottom of the fuselage.
Regarding CO alarms=2C I can only recommend one which shows any presence of
the gas in ppm=2C and with a high pitched alarm when a safe figure and/or
duration is exceeded. You can get them in any hardware store.
I had a case not long ago=2C when a loose exhaust pipe caused some carbon m
onoxide to leak into the cabin. On the other hand=2C it also confirmed that
fumes which sometimes enter via the flap slots on landing did not register
on the instrument.
Karl
From: raimo.toivio@rwm.fi
Subject: Europa-List: Door locked inflight by pip-pins.
Date: Wed=2C 18 Nov 2009 12:20:53 +0200
"Are you serious ? In an accident=2C how would a potential rescuer get the
doors open ?"
Karl=2C
I understand your point but I have thought it very carefully and I am very
serious and happy with my always locked doors when inflight (I have pip-pin
s both side)!
The risks of the unlocked doors when inflight are heavier than the risks of
the pip-pin locked doors when crash landed.
Consider this:
1) An unthinking passenger can easily lift the lever and ask "what is this?
". Shit happens=2C really.
The pip pin prevents accidents like this - a pilot has more time to react a
nd say no no no.
The function of the pip-pin is in this case to be a retarder!
2) Pilots=B4s or co-pilot=B4s sleeve could easily lift the lever by acciden
t - pip pin prevents this.
The guard alone is good but not 100% guaranteed. The function of the pip-pi
n is in this case to be a safety catch.
3) Passenger side=B4s pip-pin is a good=2C simple and effective door lock w
hen grounded.
The function of the pip-pin is in this case to be just a lock.
4) I have in my POH: before emergency landing remove door pip-pins.
5) In the case of emergency landing and the doors are still locked: do you
really think it is difficult to open the door? Just kick the window and it
is gone=2C surely! For "potential rescuer" it is not a problem at all! It i
s the smallest worry in this case! Those pip-pins are clearly visible and u
nderstandable.
BTW both of the C172=B4s doors are inflight lockable. I know some people l
ock them and some do not. I locked them always when flying but that was for
personal comfort only. When locked the lever was levelled and the armrest
was usable. I am not sure what do they say in Cessnas POH - my guess is "do
open the door locks before landing".
Karl=2C do you accept my (serious) points?
Would you like to see the pick of my pip-pin equipped door lever guards?
Raimo OH-XRT
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