Flying with the door open

[RyanB]

Late in primary training my instructor popped the door on the 172 right as we were at the point where you could barely get it down if you tried. Elected to fly the pattern and he closed it once we were back on the ground.

Last time it happened to me was with Carr at FGU. Blasting down 3 on initial takeoff and pilot side door popped. Continued the roll and shut it once airborne at safe altitude. He seemed happy with the decision.

 

[Zeldman]

When I was just an instrument student, after the flight and at parking I pushed on my door before grabbing the handle to discover the door was never shut.

To add more, during the flight the instructor and I both commented on how much louder this plane seemed than the other 172s in the fleet....

 

[Bill]

Last time it happened to me was with Carr at FGU. Blasting down 3 on initial takeoff and pilot side door popped. Continued the roll and shut it once airborne at safe altitude. He seemed happy with the decision.

I heard Ben is no longer doing rides, both my PP and IR were with him. Good guy! Funniest Ben question: While doing my preflight of the 172 on my PP checkride, he asked why the plane needed a wire to hold the tail up. (ADF wire, Lol) He had other questions he asked that were posed in a strange way.

 

[RyanB]

I heard Ben is no longer doing rides, both my PP and IR were with him. Good guy! Funniest Ben question: While doing my preflight of the 172 on my PP checkride, he asked why the plane needed a wire to hold the tail up. (ADF wire, Lol) He had other questions he asked that were posed in a strange way.

Yeah, sad deal. I understand he had some heart troubles and underwent open heart surgery a couple of months back. Returning to his DPE duties sounds unlikely. Definitely a good guy. Enjoyed my time with him.

 

[zaitcev]

I have flown a Remos G3 with the doors removed and that was a thrilling flight.

Remos is specifically approved for a flight with doors removed, but the manufacturer does not permit them being open and closed in flight. Also, I know from experience that drag increases quite a bit with no doors, and that may cause the engine to overheat. Although the situation may be aggravated by the heat and altitude in New Mexico.

 

[zaitcev]

I had a couple of instances, including a checkout in a 172 when it popped when we were rolling for takeoff. I was a rated PIC receiving dual at the time, and I'm certain that I ran the check-list. Even today I suspect a prank by the CFI, although he acted innocent. I elected to abort the take-off.

Another time, I think I plain old was negligent or otherwise screwed up running the pre-taxi check-list. It was when I visited our friend Jay at Port Arransas.

In Carlson, I had a door pop open by itself. Again, I knew it was a matter of when, because of the latch design that used friction. So one day I started slipping to land and the door flew up and slammed the wing. What's amazing though, there was no damage at all. I thought the door handle would go through the wing fabric for sure, but nope. The door had just enough bend to prevent it. After landing, I modified the latch to lock the door mechanically, rather than with friction.

 

[timrb]

When I was a student pilot on my first solo cross country, I realized mid-flight that both doors of the 172 I was flying were unlatched. That's when I discovered you can steer a 172 with the doors.

Tim

 

[Lachlan]

An open door story.

I flew the Cessna into Hood on a very bumpy day. I wanted to know how my Cub would ride in the same conditions so I sent wife home alone and I went right back out in the Cub. The affect of turbulence on a 150mph airplane is different from an 85mph airplane but it was still plenty rough in the Cub. The day before I had adjusted the plex on the swing-up door and in the turbulence the door wouldn't remain latched as a result. I was fighting to keep the plane upright and in some semblance of control while fighting the dang door popping loose while bouncing at the mercy of the turbulence. The only thing I could reach to secure the door was my belt so I pulled it off and hooked it to the door latch angle and under my butt so I could sit on it and hold the door closed, all while getting tossed against my harness. I turned around and came back to land. A friend watched the approach and came over to talk as I taxied into my tie down. He looked in to see my pants down around my knees and the belt tied to the door. The look on his face was almost as funny as the WTF questions that came out of his mouth. An unsecured door in moderate turbulence was not fun. A partially secured door wasn't all that much better.

I thought flying with the door open was required in a Cub. I didn't even know the doors closed til I read this story. Apparently Cubs don't know that their doors are supposed to be closed in flight, either, hence your need for some improvised lashery from your haberdashery.

 

[bluerooster]

C172, with wife in back seat, and stepdaughter in front. The window popped open in cruise flight. Made a loud bang, and got very windy.
I reached over and pulled it closed, and latched it. No worries. But it was quite surprizing to say the least.

 

[mscard88]

I thought flying with the door open was required in a Cub. I didn't even know the doors closed til I read this story. Apparently Cubs don't know that their doors are supposed to be closed in flight, either, hence your need for some improvised lashery from your haberdashery.

If ya fly it in the winter you'll close it! A lot more fun when it's open though.

 

[Pilawt]

I thought flying with the door open was required in a Cub. I didn't even know the doors closed til I read this story. Apparently Cubs don't know that their doors are supposed to be closed in flight, either, hence your need for some improvised lashery from your haberdashery.

 

[Paulie]

B

Obviously for planes that can fly without doors this wouldn't be an issue.. but for planes that are intended to have latched doors is there any structural integrity decrease when a door "pops" open? I seem to recall reading somewhere that if the L3 and R3 doors are left open on an empty B747 and the plane is then filled with fuel the flex from the wings and fuse makes closing the doors again near (if not) impossible.. that would suggest there is some strength coming from them

Have also heard anecdotally that Metroliners, stretch DC-8s, etc. can have some issues with doors, like if they're towed with open doors there can be some twisting

Boeings have plug doors, the only way they'll open when pressurized is if the structure around it fails.

 

[Paulie]

Had s jump door open in my 182 with a pax that was not a jumper. Big hole for him to look out of. He wasn't happy. A little rudder and the door closed.