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Why did Strega's canopy break?

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  • Why did Strega's canopy break?

    But first.... THANK YOU MR. SAGAR! For all you do for Air Racing, THANK YOU!!

    Now, I've seen a couple post buried in threads asking why Strega's canopy broke, but no replies. I thought I'd start a new thread with only this question.

    Anyone know or want to share? Did it just break, end of story?

    And last, THANK YOU MR. SAGAR!!

  • #2
    Re: Why did Strega's canopy break?

    Stress loads exceeded the structural capacity of the material it was made from.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Why did Strega's canopy break?

      I'd love to see the telemetry report from when the plexi broke. I was out in the parking lot hearing Matt coming down the chute for the qualifying run, it was sounding faster than I can ever remember hearing the airplane go.. the the muffled woof of the canopy breaking...

      Would love to be able to turn back the clock and let him finish that run....
      Wayne Sagar
      "Pusher of Electrons"

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Why did Strega's canopy break?

        Originally posted by ChrisMX105 View Post
        Stress loads exceeded the structural capacity of the material it was made from.
        The million dollar question is whether it exploded or imploded.....

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        • #5
          Re: Why did Strega's canopy break?

          Exploded, If it had imploded I think it would have gotten ugly quick, I had heard (uncomfirmed rumor) NOW PROVEN INCORRECT that the airplane hit rough air causing Matt's helmet to hit the canopy. I am sure that at some point he will chime in and set us all straight. Considering what I am sure was quite a surprise Matt handled it extremely well.
          Last edited by ChrisMX105; 09-19-2013, 07:48 PM. Reason: Matt dispelled rumor

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          • #6
            Re: Why did Strega's canopy break?

            There were a couple very different stories that went around about it; on one end of the spectrum, "it just blew" without any outside influences, and on the other end Matt hit the canopy with his helmet and caused it to break/depart.

            One of the many stories I heard about it, too, was that it failed in the aft end such that the front of the canopy momentarily dipped down into the cockpit and whacked Matt J on his visor and oxygen mask.

            It is tough to tell which, if any, of these stories are correct. The photos I have of Matt holding his helmet right after getting out of the airplane don't show any scratches or damage noticeable from a distance. My USAF helmets over the years have developed all manner of scrapes and scratches in both the paint and visor from hitting the canopy in flight while maneuvering; I'd expect that if Matt's helmet hit the canopy hard enough to break it, that there'd be some kind of visible mark on it (and maybe there is, but I just couldn't see it in my photos). Of course there is a difference in thickness and strength between a fighter canopy and a custom-blown canopy for a racer, but that's my only frame of reference.

            I was standing near Matt right after he walked back in to the pit area and spoke to Steve Hinton, and he didn't mention anything about hitting the canopy and causing it to break (he indicated he was strapped down tight and doing 500 indicated when the canopy departed). His biggest complaint was the low pressure after the canopy departed sucked all the dust up from inside the cockpit and some of it went behind the visor and in to his eyes. Right after I snapped this photo, he flushed his eyes out with a bottle of water.



            Hopefully, as one of the few Unlimited pilots who posts on AAFO, he'll be along to tell us what happened himself; I'm definitely interested in hearing it.
            Last edited by Randy Haskin; 09-19-2013, 12:17 PM.

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            • #7
              Re: Why did Strega's canopy break?

              Originally posted by Race5 View Post
              The million dollar question is whether it exploded or imploded.....
              Pressure outside *should* have been far, far lower than the pressure on the inside due to the ~500+ mph velocity of the outside air relative to the plexi, and 0 mph relative velocity of the air inside the bubble.

              So "explode" is more accurate than "implode" I would guess, but its really just "shatter outward."

              I wonder if simple age and repeated stress cycles finally weakened it? Probably no way to tell without more effort than its worth.
              Last edited by 440_Magnum; 09-19-2013, 02:43 PM.

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              • #8
                Re: Why did Strega's canopy break?

                Ah yes the Million Dollar question on why the canopy departed. First my head did not touch the canopy, so erase that comment from the rumor mill. I sit well below the canopy and my head came no where near it during the flight. The air was silk smooth and I encountered no bumps on the down hill run. I could have not worn a seat belt it was so smooth. The canopy was 30 years old and I suspect with the dynamics on the plane on my decent at 500 MPH indicated was just a bit much.

                Take out your E6B's and throw in 9000 ft density altitude and you can see how fast we were really going. I guess it decided it was time to explode. It happened in a flash and I was temporarily blinded by the fact that I had 500 MPH air running across my helmet trying to rip my helmet from my head causing the face shield to literally press against both my eye balls. It was like someone slapping you in the face hard. My Oxygen Mask was the only reason why the helmet stayed on my head. The chin strap was attempting to sever my adam's apple as well, which was pretty impressive.

                Imagine sitting in a chair and having some big guy try and rip the helmet from your head. The air across my helmet sat me straight up in the seat which in turn pulled the stick I was holding causing the plane to climb. Going 750 FPS for the two or three seconds it took to see would have put me into the ground had I not got the stick assist. A large piece of the canopy came down and across my right cheek hitting me in the right collar bone.

                The next dynamic was 30 years of **** came across my face on the way out of the plane. The pressure drop was so severe that the hell hole cover just inside the scoop tried to suck into the fuselage. I have now checked that box on my list of items to not experience ever again. It was not nice and certainly not necessary. If I had to do over I would not dive the plane onto the course again at that speed. It seemed like a great idea at the time, I had my spurs on and was there to go fast. I had a perfect day to go smash the qualification record of 499. It was calm and hot. Just perfect to go fast.

                The reality is Strega will easily go over 500 on this course with the right temp. The plane is clearly faster than Voodoo as can be seen by the fact that he never gained one second on me once we were down on the course. That says a lot about having the poll and a clean course ahead of you. The Voodoo team did exactly what they had to do to win. They executed their race plan to perfection all week and therefore were victorious. Their secret weapon was of course Stevo and his ability to work out all the bugs in the plane prior to arriving at Reno and fly the **** out of the plane. They deserved the win !!!! The crew did an incredible job at keeping the systems going and allowing Steve to fly the race.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Why did Strega's canopy break?

                  Thanks for the firsthand story, Matt.

                  I have a couple of friends who have lost the canopy in fighters and trainers, and some of them lost their helmets wholesale afterward due to the air pressure. One squadronmate had a bloody nose from the mask going up over his nose as the helmet was pulled off, and the chin strap on the recovered helmet just unsnapped in the melee. They reported the same dust phenomenon in the eyes that you did. This particular incident happened at about 350 KCAS, so I'm frankly surprised that your helmet did not come off at 435 knots-ish.

                  Either way, good flying in a bad situation.

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                  • #10
                    Re: Why did Strega's canopy break?

                    Matt, thanks for the update. You have proven to be one classy guy by praising Steven, yer opponent, on his win. Sorry to watch all your trials last week, still a fun week for us all, with a safe outcome and some good racing by a bunch of Pros.

                    Cheers.
                    '71 S.D.1000, '85-'91,'94',95,'97-'99,'02,'04,'06,'08,'10,'13,'14 NCAR.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Why did Strega's canopy break?

                      Thanks for sharing the cockpit experience with us Mr. Jackson.
                      "And if they stare, just let them burn their eyes on your moving."

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                      • #12
                        Re: Why did Strega's canopy break?

                        This is why I love this board.

                        What a great read on a real life beyond stressful story. Felt like I was in the plane with you Matt. Thanks for sharing such a candid description to us fans!

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                        • #13
                          Re: Why did Strega's canopy break?

                          Thank you for the candid account Matt.
                          Sunday was my first ever trip to Reno, and watching you whip and spur that racer around the course was a sight I shall never forget! Thank you for that as well....
                          ....oh and on that "other" thread...nicely played
                          Fledgling Air Race and P-51 Junkie

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                          • #14
                            Re: Why did Strega's canopy break?

                            Matt,
                            Thank-you for the clear-cut story. Sure would have been an awesome run!

                            Was excellent to watch you gaining on that little purple pony Sunday.. If only another couple laps!

                            - Joseph

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Why did Strega's canopy break?

                              Originally posted by Idaho_cowpony View Post
                              Matt,
                              Thank-you for the clear-cut story. Sure would have been an awesome run!

                              Was excellent to watch you gaining on that little purple pony Sunday.. If only another couple laps!

                              - Joseph
                              If you do the math 8 laps on the current course is about 65 miles. When the course was over 9 miles it was a 72 mile race.

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