RCU Forums - View Single Post - Canopy / cockpit "quick release latches"....
Old 02-11-2005 | 11:26 AM
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blikseme300
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Default RE: Canopy / cockpit "quick release latches"....

Be careful when using "quick-release" anything. They tend to do it when you don't want them to! It all depends on the size and/or weight of the item you need to remove. If the item forms part of the aerodynamic surfaces, such as a large canopy (example: used in knife edge flight), rather bolt them in place. Much excitement is caused when such an item leaves the airframe in flight. You will not believe how unflyable a giant scale aircraft, such as an Extra or Edge, becomes if the canopy comes off in flight.

Think it through on what forces will be applied as well as the effect of it coming off in flight might have on the aircraft. I know that on many scale aircraft such as jets the quick-release catches work well. The reason is that the rest of the attached part is well designed to use these catches/releases. These hatches, etc are typically non-load bearing. Just adding a catch or magnet to a frame which was designed to be bolted down is dangerous.

Safe flying!