Door Pull Straps & Flying With Doors Open

[Dvanlanen]

Has anyone installed the door pull straps (the straps used to pull the door closed) on their doors, and then flown their aircraft with the doors open? If so, do you have any issues with these straps fluttering in the wind and/or damaging the doors in any way?

Thanks,
Dave

[jiott]

I don't know anyone who has installed the straps, including some factory built SLSA's. They simply aren't needed unless you are a very small person with short arms.

[t j]

I installed the factory supplied straps on the middle tube of the doors and another set on the bottom tubes. I can easily reach the middle strap when the door is open and when shut I need the bottom strap to pull the door tight with my right hand so I can latch it with my left hand. You can't pull on the model 4 factory door latches to close the door tight or they will bend.

The straps don't cause any trouble while they flap around when the door is open.

[Paul Z]

How fast can you fly with the doors open?

[SkyPirate]

I'd keep it under 80 or slower

[Paul Z]

I have been very reluctant to fly with the door Open, but in Texas during the summer it would be nice. The air vents on my plane are pretty close to useless.

[Dorsal]

I also tend to keep it below 80

[Slyfox]

this last summer I had a wasp appear on my left door. yaya, I got scared. was sitting right next to my hand. I slowed way down and opened the door. it went outside, but I couldn't get the door back closed. I have the handle in the middle and it rotates and unlocks at the back of the door and front. I couldn't get the back the come in far enough to lock in place. I held onto the door for a bit, but I didn't like that. I finally forced the door handle shut, but the rear didn't latch. I felt it was a nightmare. I guess there will need to be a little handle to pull the back shut in the future if I try opening the door again in flight.

[jtpitkin06]

To close a door in flight, try slipping in the direction of the open door.

John

[t j]

How fast can you fly with the doors open?

I have a 503. At cruise rpm (6000) about 75 mph with the door open. I would guess at wide open throttle I might get 76 mph with the door open.:)

[n85ae]

I took my doors off one year, ten minutes flying and I couldn't wait to put them
back on. Noisy, windy, scary, just not for me. Could not get over the open door
fear factor ... Oddly I have flow in an OH-6 helicopter multiple times with no
doors and felt no fear ... Maybe it's just cause the Oh-6 makes you fearless ...
Anyway I don't like my Kitfox without the doors securely closed.

I use the snap vents in the bubble doors, they work very well for inflight
cooling.

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/appages/snapvents4.php

Jeff


I have been very reluctant to fly with the door Open, but in Texas during the summer it would be nice. The air vents on my plane are pretty close to useless.

[SkyPirate]

fom april to oct my model 2 doors hung in the hangar,,haven't flown the 5 with doors open yet,..but might take them off this summer

[Dvanlanen]

One poster mentioned not needing the door pulls. I think I would want to install them because I am installing the standard Lexan door skins on my 7SS, not the bubble doors, so it would be difficult to grab the frame to pull the door shut. It sounds like the straps are not an issue in flight with the doors open, so I will proceed with that, and also make a note to keep the speed down to 80 or below with the doors open. Thanks to everyone for their input.

[DesertFox4]

and also make a note to keep the speed down to 80 or below with the doors open

Not sure where this 80 mph door open restriction all of a sudden appeared from. I've never read that from Kitfox but if so, I've exceeded that hundreds of times with no concerns.

[Av8r3400]

I use a self imposed 100 mph speed limit with the doors open for no other reason than it is a round number… :rolleyes:

At 100 mph, in smooth air, the doors are still stable on my IV.

(No door straps - Not needed in a IV, IMO)

[SWeidemann]

Dave,

I have a handhold size fabric loop on each middle horizontal door frame cross member (placed towards the front for easy grabbing). Mine has the full coverage clear doors. I sure appreciate those things to make pulling the door closed easier (after opening the left door in flight to take pictures). I don't recall any turbulence problems with the straps. One of the many reasons I have this plane is to be able to open the doors in flight for photos.

Skot

[P Morel]

I'm surprised there is an issue flying with the doors open. Yes, it was a change the first time, but with noise canceling headsets, I find it more enjoyable. I fly about 9 months out of the year with the doors open. If I'm traveling cross country, of course I fly with the doors closed and with higher altitude, it's easy to control the cabin temperature. I have the straps mounted in the center of the doors and if flying alone, I can reach both sides in my Speedster. I sometimes use the suggestion made by John about slipping to help close a door. I even have door panels and never once had an issue with them with the doors open. Here's a quick video with them open. I keep my speed a little slower with them open so I don't get any flutter on the doors.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8N-ROTRogEY

[SkySteve]

Hey Paul,
Great vid. Love the SMOKE!:cool: