Unlocked baggage door in flight

[gismo]

Bonanza - must be locked during flight. There are two very large emergency egress windows right behind the B pillar.

Even with a Bonanza, it depends. With a large door that has a rotating handle to operate the latch, there's no way it can come open accidentally and it provides a good emergency exit. If the plane is equipped with one or two third row seats, it's the best way out. My Baron has such a door and I never lock it in flight any more than I'd lock the main cabin door. Finally, on the early straight tailed Bonanzas (Debonairs), the center windows don't open so the baggage door is the only way out if the door won't open.

Personally, I'd leave any door unlocked if it's usable as an emergency exit unless an inflight opening would be dangerous or the latch wasn't secure when unlocked. Baggage doors like mine that are hinged on the leading edge could hardly cause a problem if they opened in flight and they are going to be held nearly closed by the airstream preventing the loss of anything much bigger than a piece of paper, but one hinged from the trailing edge and some that pivot on the top edge could be ripped off and cause significant damage if they came open in the air. For that type I'd want to make it as secure as possible.

 

[KennyFlys]

With all this talk about ripping apart any aircraft (particularly a Skyhawk) with the "Jaws of Life", has anyone considered what might be ruptured in the process?

And, if you can't control an aircraft when the door has popped open you've got much worse problems than a failed latch. I've had cabin doors pop open and I've had baggage doors pop open. They should be a non-issue with regard to "Fly the airplane, first."

 

[Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe]

Kenny, you're taking scenarios that are improbable and not realizing that the jaws of life will eat through any of our planes like we can rip tin foil with our bare hands.

More likely a reciprocating saw, disk saw or air chisel. But in any case, fire departments are well equipped to disassemble (unwrap) a vehicle from around a victim. Thirty + years ago when I took some training and small departments didn't have all the power stuff, they had a metal bar sharpened along one edge that would (when driven by a hammer) cut through a steel car roof in a very short time.
Hydraulic jaws are real good for making small holes very large in a short period of time or could quickly cut the roof pillars on a low wing airplane.

The trick is to still be alive when they get there.

 

[AdamZ]

And there was the time Leslie and her instructor had a stripper, errrr exotic dancer, crawl in through the baggage door to open the main door, which was jammed. Helps when you're flexible!

Holy moley is that an opening line to a bar story or what? "

So this one time Leslie and this stripper........" man a few crown and cokes at 6Y9er or some Margaritas and Wings and then the story gets Grant in some SERIOUS trouble! LOL

 

[Ted]

And, if you can't control an aircraft when the door has popped open you've got much worse problems than a failed latch. I've had cabin doors pop open and I've had baggage doors pop open. They should be a non-issue with regard to "Fly the airplane, first."

Then why don't you focus on teaching them to fly the airplane first, rather than these nonsensical ideas and checklists? Of course it should be a non-issue for any pilot if a door pops open, but if you think people can't handle having a magenta line on their GPS, why do you think they can handle a door popping open? I could see it far more likely for someone to start messing with trying to get the door closed and not paying attention to flying as much as he or she should than to need to have an unlatched baggage door.

 

[AdamZ]

I don't think Leslie has any Lithuanian blood in her. African, Native American, and some Irish, but no Lithuanian that we know of.

ROLMAO reminds me a a line from the movie Fletch with Chevy Chase.

Man: That an interesting name! What is it?

Fletch: Scotch / Romanian

Man: Thats an interesting combination.

Fletch: So were my parents.

 

[gprellwitz]

Holy moley is that an opening line to a bar story or what? "

So this one time Leslie and this stripper........" man a few crown and cokes at 6Y9er or some Margaritas and Wings and then the story gets Grant in some SERIOUS trouble! LOL

Well, we'll be seeing you in a couple weeks, and Leslie can tell the story. She was the one with the stripper that time. I stayed home!

 

[wsuffa]

On the Commander, the baggage door lock is the only thing that holds it closed....

 

[docmirror]

Even with a Bonanza, it depends.

Well, there are a lot of models and years called a Bonanza. The real Bonanza has a locking latch. If you turn it 90deg to open the baggage door, the key is captive in the lock(at least on truly original Bonanza locks). So, you couldn't leave it unlocked if you wanted to unless you wanted to leave it ajar, which is not a good plan. If you have the third row seating or the club seating in the model 36 variety, I think it might require the door to be latched during flight. I don't have the POH so I can't be sure, but I think that's right.

Another interesting tidbit about the Bonanza, the baggage door blocks the wing walk when open. This was by design so that you wouldn't hop in and go anywhere with the door open, or unlatched.

So IMNSHO, if you have a Bonanza, and it has the emergency egress windows, leave the baggage door locked. Since that's the only way it will stay closed. If you don't have the egress windows(Deb), plan to kick out a plexi I guess.

 

[AuntPeggy]

My thread has been hijacked for some really nasty name-calling. By some people I consider my friends. How disappointing.

 

[KennyFlys]

TO THE MC:

If you're going to go delete posts without discussion with the person who made it or addressing the antagonist, you better dang well get rid of the person who posted it because you sure as hell lost ALL of my respect.

I expect immediate notice of this issue by end of business today. You chose to take on a responsibility. So, be responsible. Address the person you're editing or removing posts from.

My apologies to Peggy. Unfortunately, this issue goes far deeper than the subject of the thread.

 

[SkyHog]

Right, thats gonna work, Kenny.

I got suspended because 2 rogue MC members feigned their own offense to a word no one else took offense to. You're not gonna sway them with a threat, man

 

[KennyFlys]

I got a response... saying they have no responsibility to respond. Of course, it was under the POA Management user name.

 

[SkyHog]

I got a response... saying they have no responsibility to respond. Of course, it was under the POA Management user name.

Was probably the Levester. he does that.

 

[Joe B]

I would be more worried about the egress issue in a single door airplane than in one that had more than one door. What you're worried about is not egress after a catastrophic crash. The airframe generally peels apart in that case. I think the real concern is being trapped after a minor crash that distorts the airframe enough to jam the doors and there is the potential for fire. In that case, I would want as many options for exit as possible, particularly if carrying passengers.

Peggy, this is nothing new. I heard it years ago and left the baggage door unlocked all the time when I was flying Cherokees, for exactly the reasons Ken describes. It was part of my passenger briefing, too.

In none of my airplanes have I locked the baggage doors. If the door flies open, you land and close it, and any loss or damage just makes you smarter. And yes, I did have a partner neglect to secure the nose bay on my first Lance. There was minor damage.

In the PA32 I always lock the nose baggage door. It's not useable as an egress. The extra act of locking it is really a double-check that one has secured that door correctly. So far, so good. Touch wood.

 

[SkyHog]

fwiw, i agree with the MC, kenny. you should probably let it go.

 

[wsuffa]

Well, I just checked in after seeing all the bad post reports in my email this morning. I gotta get back to work.

I agree that this thread is way too personal.

Thread closed to let folks cool down and let the MC decide what further action is required. Personally, I won't have the chance to weigh in on the matter until this evening after work.

 

[jesse]

I lock the door and I am the least bit concerned about any potential safety issues by doing so. In all likelyhood -- if you can't get out of the airplane yourself you're going to be dead. Opening a locked 172 door from the inside isn't that difficult. It is also very unlikely that the baggage door would make a good escape route anyways.

If I didn't lock it..I'd forget to lock it when I left the airplane..and then some jackass would probably steal something. Plus by locking it there is less chance of it opening in flight on most designs--not that I care if it does.