Greg Bullough wrote:
> Yes, closed the canopy is a bit cleaner. Open, it is worse than the 415 > with the > panels slid down. I get a solid 100MPH cruise at 2300 RPM, windows down. Not > that I'm in a hurry! We get some righteous thermals out here. i was in one > yesteday > that had me at 2200 RPM and 115 MPH, and I was still going up at 100FPM! I have > no upper speed limitation on open canopy, so I could just put the nose down and > ride it. Never did find the corresponding sink. Must have been in the next > county. For Coupe wannabes, here's a detail filling out what Greg said: Aircraft Specification A-787, NOTE 2. Placards, B. Models Alon A-2 and A2-A, (1.) On instrument panel in full view of pilot: (b) "Do not open canopy in excess of 100 m.p.h. IAS." [Source: Univair publication "Specifications A.D. notes S.T.C.s" ESS ($9.00 when I got mine).] I have heard of a couple of canopies departing the airplane but no facts were told me about whether those planes had bad tracks or were over placarded speed. I, too, love to fly open cockpit and I like my ERCO / Forney sliding windows. I do wish, though, I could get the extra speed that Alons get from that better shaped canopy. -- Ed Burkhead Peoria, Ill. N3802H
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