Anyone flying a series 5 without doors ? Wondering if it would be better to take the turtle deck off or leave it on.
Anyone flying a series 5 without doors ? Wondering if it would be better to take the turtle deck off or leave it on.
I fly my model 3 without the doors, and have often thought about removing the turtle deck, but haven't.
I was worried about overpressurizing the inside of the fuslage and tail with the air coming over the cockpit. A cover could be made to eliminate that worry.
Then I started worrying about the loss of lift provided by the turtle deck and the disruption of the aerodynamics caused by removing it. I am sure that these effects are minimal, but I need to WORRY about it a little longer.
I still think that it is a great idea, and I will probably do it, but it may take a while for me to get the guts.
Louie
I often fly my IV without doors (and often open the doors during flight). It's a real treat to fly around low and slow with the wind at your side! But I've always left my turtle deck on.
Cheers,
Ackselle
Ackselle
Kitfox IV 1200 Classic C-GIKV
29" Airstreaks, 11" Matco Tailwheel
ROTAX 912, Hoffman HO-V352F CS Prop
I have flown my 5 with one and both doors open with no issue's, I do try to keep it under 100 when doing so as the Turtle Deck does rattle but no issues.
BigJohn
Kitfox 5 Outback
Rotax 912ULS With 1622cc Big Torque Zipper Conversion
Youtube BigJohn655
https://www.youtube.com/user/BigJohn655
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This was a few years ago. I remember talking to a Series 5 pilot about when the turtle deck departed his aircraft in flight. He said it significantly changed the flight characteristics. The doors were closed.
David E.
Woodstock, Georgia
N97DE S5 TD Flying
N97KE RV-9A Sold
N96KE RV10 Sold
Rans S21 Helping Brother Build (Selling)
Vans RV-14A (On Order)
I think I will leave the turtle deck on. I don't make a good guinea pig.(LOL).It gets pretty hot and humid down here in the summer time so I think I'll give it a try with the doors open and keep it under 100 mph. If that goes well,I may try removing the doors and see how that goes.
I flew mine with doors off, it's noisy and unnerving to me. I could never get
comfortable so I put them back on. Only time I ever felt fear of height
flying ... Scared the cr*p out of me. I'm fine in a cub, etc. with open
windows, but the empty air by my hip ... No thanks. All I could think about
was seat belt being loose.
I have a center brace in my turtledeck that attaches via adel clamps to
the tube the shoulder harness tabs are welded on so no worries about turtle
deck rattle or pop-off.
Regards,
Jeff
N85AE - Series 5, IO-240B
Perhaps I'm biased but I really prefer flying without doors other then some interference with the radio.
I'm biased because I have a couple hundred helicopter hours and we had to have the doors off to land on an elevated helipad with a large hole in the center. I had to hang out the right door just to double check the skid was within a piece of duct tape before I lowered the collective, otherwise we could drop a skid in the hole and roll over. It was fun!!!
It also lets you know when your in trim, if the wind is batting you in the face then put a little pedal in there. This is important since most single engine helicopters just have a string tied to the nose as a turn coordinator, haha. If the string moves right, add left and vice versa