Realistic Distraction

[westslopeco]

Today I was dispached to do my first unsupervised Solo. I was to fly out to the practice area and do what I wanted (even if it was just fly around a sightsee). I was pretty excited and nervous at the same time. I got the C152 untied, listend to ATIS, made a perfect call to ground. As I taxied to the runup, I realized that I really didn't have anything to be nervous about, as I knew what to do. The runup went well and I called up Tower to get sequenced for Take Off. Things continued to go well as I recieved clearance to T.O. immediatly (rare for a perfect VFR day like today). I taxied onto the active, lined up with the centerline and pushed in the throttle. I was amazed once again at how the plane litterally jumps off the ground with just me in it (even with our high D.A. today). Everything was going according to plan ... fly the extened runway centerline until within 300' of TPA, then make my approved turn to the North. Then it happend...

I usually fly with my left elbow on the armrest on the door. Well today when I put my elbow in its usual spot, the armrest moved. I quickly realized that my door was open. After a quick shot of adrenaline I remembered the most important thing - FLY THE AIRPLANE FIRST. I quickly called ATC and asked to return to the field for a full stop. I was told to make Right Traffic for 29R. I turned to downwind and started thinking about the landing. I wanted to make sure that I didn't let myself be distracted by the open door. About midfield, I felt more in control and decided to try to close the door. Well I guess I was going slow enough, and got the door closed first try. Right about that time ATC called and asked if I was having difficulty (I guess they really can read your voice). I said that my door was open, but I had got it closed and could exit the traffic pattern to the East. He cleared me to exit to the North as originally planned.

I ended up doing some ground reference manuvers (did pretty good, kept the altitude within +- 500'). I flew around a bit also, reminding me of why I am getting the certificate.

It was a pretty good flight, and I was happy with the way I handled the "situation." I feel like I have come a long way since that discovery flight. I am amazed at how much more I still have too learn.....

 

[gprellwitz]

Good experience, and well handled. I take it from your writeup that you didn't attempt to address the door until you were stabilized and felt comfortable with it.

I've had a situation where we didn't realize a door wasn't fully closed until just before we were going to enter what looked like a relatively benign raincloud (IFR), and it was quickly followed up by a call from ATC asking how the ride was, because they showed us as entering a region of extreme precip returns. We did exactly what you did. Said (out loud) "fly the plane, worst that will happen is that the carpet will get a little wet."

 

[Teller1900]

Very well handled! Not much else you could'a done. The (older) Seminoles I used to fly had a similar problem. The new ones were fine, but the '79 models had gone through so many years of students' landings that the upper latch didn't always catch. It was quite easy for the door to pop open on climb out. One night my CFI and I were climbing out of North Las Vegas (VGT) on the Northtown 1 departure. It's a tricky DP that takes you pretty close to some large, angry mountains, that you can't really see at night. As I was flying the DP...the door came open. 6,000 feet above Las Vegas and everything in the cockpit that wasn't strapped down was flying around in the breeze. All you can do is fly the plane, and worry about the rest of it when conditions permit. Well done!

 

[tonycondon]

presolo i had the door on a 152 pop open on me on takeoff. as you realized, not a big deal, but it sure does get your attention! good work

 

[KennyFlys]

Good deal, Tony! I'm glad you're at the stage to learn more on your own and have some fun.

The other day, the door popped open on my student. I told him he better not fall out. If I had to fly back by myself, I was still gonna charge him for the time.

 

[tonycondon]

I particularly like flying the old 172s with the door handle back behind the seat. Its easy as the instructor to have the left hand resting on the backrest of the pilots seat and just reach over and give the door a little help opening up. Provides great insight into how the student will handle similar situations while solo.

 

[gprellwitz]

I particularly like flying the old 172s with the door handle back behind the seat. Its easy as the instructor to have the left hand resting on the backrest of the pilots seat and just reach over and give the door a little help opening up. Provides great insight into how the student will handle similar situations while solo.

If they say "Oh Tony, BTW, my door's not completely closed. Remind me to get tho it once we reach cruise" they pass, right?

 

[billwil]

Awesome! BTW, wasn't your first unsupervised solo (besides the door popping open) one of the most memorable things so far? It was during that flight (about a week and a half ago for me) that I started to feel like a "real" pilot...and was actually completely in command. How liberating.

Congrats on handling the sit., and reaching this stage in your training.

--snip--
I ended up doing some ground reference manuvers (did pretty good, kept the altitude within +- 500'). I flew around a bit also, reminding me of why I am getting the certificate.
--snip--

I'm assuming you meant +- 50'. If you didn't...that must have been one helluva ride.

 

[dmccormack]

Tony -- Well described and well handled event!

(Though I might start a thread about "practice areas"....)

Similar event happened to my student while climbing from 4500-6500 feet over eastern NC last week. We're climbing when suddenly the normal engine sound is overwhelmed by a whooshing sound.

He looked over at me: "What's that?"
​

Me: [stone face you-figure-it-out-buddy look]

Him: "The door's open."

Me: "Uh hunh -- so what are you gonna do?"

Him: ["can you handle the airplane while I tend to this?" look]

Me: [stone face no-way-buddy look]

Him: "Umm.. ok... " [levels off, contorts a bit, and closes the door]

Me: "Bravo -- Aviate, Navigate --"

Him: "Yeah -- I gotta get that door fixed..."

​

This model Cessna used the old handle on the door that is easily bumped with an elbow while reaching for something with the left hand. We went through the same drill a couple of days later and it was a non-event.

 

[Henning]

Well played, and as you noticed, an open door isn't a big deal. Next time, try closing it at speed using only the rudders, that's a pretty fun exercise, stand on the door side rudder, then quick and hard as you can, switch feet. You can usually get the door to close.

As for realistic distractions, years ago when I worked for Sperry Rail Service, I was working on the CN and since they wanted to keep me up there in Canada, they had to send me through engineers school up in Gimli Manitoba. The superintendat of the railroad came and informed me of this and as he dropped me off he told me "When you see the t.i.t.s, hit the brakes." I just thought to myself "hmmmm....ok". In the simulator, I was cruising along on opern prairie track and there was a green light way off in the distance, and something off the side of the track. As I got closer to the object, I could tell it was a girl, even closer and all of a sudden:At that very moment, the green light off in the distance went red.

 

[AuntPeggy]

In a Cessna, the door opening is pretty easy to handle. When Hubby was in training, his CFI's door popped open frequently. Once when he shut it, Hubby's door popped open. They spend a joyful half-hour with both doors popped open, steering the airplane using the doors as rudders. If you are game for this sort of learning experience, you might suggest it to your CFI the next time you are both up together.

 

[rottydaddy]

I had an instructor briefly who liked to keep things light and interesting, and partly to show me just what it would be like if the Cessna door came ajar in flight, he had me set up in slow cruise and then opened the door almost completely, enough so that he could put one foot on the footrest on the main gear leg. I found I needed a hair of opposite rudder, but even the turbulent air in the cabin was no big deal. I was pleasantly surprised.Then he took the controls and had me try it... fun, and again, educational.

Naturally, we were both strapped in... I do NOT recommend doing this without your seatbelt on.

The bottom line: as long as you are strapped in and the door does not open into the slipstream, like on the SeaBee, you can fly around all day like that. no need to panic.

 

[jesse]

The bottom line: as long as you are strapped in and the door does not open into the slipstream, like on the SeaBee, you can fly around all day like that. no need to panic.

I always had this mental image of the DA-20 canopy opening in flight. I suspect that at cruise speed it'd probably rip off. Hopefully it wouldn't damage the tail. If it didn't hurt the tail too much and did rip off--that'd be a hell of a blast of air in your face.

It'd be really bad on departure. I read a report of some guy opening the canopy on a DA-20 in Europe after departure which of course resulted in a near instant stall / crash.

 

[markb5900]

Good job Tony. As others said, you did exactly as you should. FLY THE PLANE first.

I did it to myself twice in one day in a friends plane doing T&G's. Where my arm would "rest" if I turned the yoke just right I would unlatch the door.
After the second time, I moved my arm to a different spot. LOL

Mark B.

 

[jpflys]

Good work, now keep nibbling away at that altitude during ground reference to the final goal of +/- 50 '

 

[westslopeco]

Good work, now keep nibbling away at that altitude during ground reference to the final goal of +/- 50 '

I added one too many zeros in my original post . Actually kept within 50'.

 

[t0r0nad0]

Great job Tony - way to prioritize.

 

[Rob Schaffer]

Very good response to the distraction, keep your cool and fly the plane.

The only time I had the door open on me was during Unusual Attitudes under the hood. My instructor had set the plane up in a steep decent, slow turn to the right. I lifted my head,.. saw airspeed in the yellow,.. pulled the power, leveled the wings, and as I began to slowly pull out, My door released and cracked open! I finished the level out, and lifted my hood. My instructor wondered what I was doing, and I said "my door popped open!"... "oh,.. this plane does that often in manouvers" Closed the door, and off we went. Apparently the 1979 C152 has a little wear...

 

[dmccormack]

The only time I had the door open on me was during Unusual Attitudes under the hood. My instructor had set the plane up in a steep decent, slow turn to the right. I lifted my head,.. saw airspeed in the yellow,.. pulled the power, leveled the wings, and as I began to slowly pull out, My door released and cracked open! I finished the level out, and lifted my hood. My instructor wondered what I was doing, and I said "my door popped open!"... "oh,.. this plane does that often in manouvers" Closed the door, and off we went. Apparently the 1979 C152 has a little wear...

Does that model have the little 1/2 turn handle seen in older 172s?

If so, that door is easily bumped open by an elbow...

 

[rottydaddy]

I always had this mental image of the DA-20 canopy opening in flight. I suspect that at cruise speed it'd probably rip off. Hopefully it wouldn't damage the tail. If it didn't hurt the tail too much and did rip off--that'd be a hell of a blast of air in your face.

It'd be really bad on departure. I read a report of some guy opening the canopy on a DA-20 in Europe after departure which of course resulted in a near instant stall / crash.

Oh yeah, I didn't think of that one... I'd imagine the hinge would fail for sure, and maybe it would ding the tail... but the worst part would be suddenly finding yourself in the slipstream. That would put anyone into a mental tailspin, for sure.

 

[GaryO]

Early in my training the door on the 150 popped open just after TO, at about 50 ft. My CFI was impressed that I didn't let it bother me and just left it open until downwind.

At that time, most of my time in GA aircraft was as a skydiver. I considered flying a Cessna with the door open as normal.

 

[Brian Austin]

I always had this mental image of the DA-20 canopy opening in flight. I suspect that at cruise speed it'd probably rip off. Hopefully it wouldn't damage the tail. If it didn't hurt the tail too much and did rip off--that'd be a hell of a blast of air in your face.

It'd be really bad on departure. I read a report of some guy opening the canopy on a DA-20 in Europe after departure which of course resulted in a near instant stall / crash.

My father-in-law lost the right windscreen on a Cessna 414 during cruise. Luckily he wasn't flying at pressure altitudes and he was in the left seat. Said it was a very cold and noisy descent, though, since it was IFR conditions and at night.

Apparently the recently replaced windshield wasn't done correctly.