Someone told me that if you don't seal off the engine compartment from the rest of the fuselage the in-rushing air will pressurize the fuse to the point that the canopy will blow off. I have a lot of lightening holes in the engine compartment of my new plane. Do I need to seal them off, or is this just a dirty rumor?

Thanks in advance!

Tim

dirty rumor!

i have had things blow off planes but not due to pressure inside the model!

maybe in extreme cases, but i wouldnt worry about it

actually if the holes arent sealed off then this can happen becuase the air cant go anywhere so it builds up and explodes and goes out through the weakest spot.

If you leave holes open up front, just open a few in the very back of the plane to allow the air to flow thru the entire fuse. I have some holes on the bottom right in front of the tailwheel bracket. While I have not heard of the air pressure blowing off canopies or hatches, I have heard of it blowing of pieces of covering.

Another reason a lot of guys leave holes in the front and the rear is to help discipate heat. Kind of like a flow-thru cooling effect. I do this to help keep the radio gear cooler since the radio floor is also the ceiling for my cansiter tunnel.

............Mark

I like to keep the engine sealed from the inners of the fuse.Heat should be dispersed out the cowl somehow.Oily exhaust traces have no business inside a fuse filled with sensitive electronics and untreated wood.