Emergency Exit- Vintage Mooneys

[Andy95W]

In a different thread I mentioned that I was going to be modifying my baggage door IAW an article I found in an old MAPA Log from January, 2012.  I finished the work and ended up differing from the original article a bit.  Please excuse the fact that part of my interior is out, part of it is grey, , and part is brand new (the baggage door cover, which I think came out pretty nice).

 

Baggage door mechanism before modification:

 

This is the door mechanism after modification.  I replaced the 2 standard washers with 3 'L' washers that are half the thickness of the standard.  I made a short pull mechanism out of 1/16" control cable and standard swages.  This shows the latched position.

 

This shows the unlatched position.

 

The changes that I made to the original design were to make for a better looking installation, IMO, and having the pulling direction to unlatch the door to be to the rear, not forward.  This will make it less likely for a child to see the pretty red handle and pull it.

The baggage door must remain unlocked for this to operate.  This is different from later model Mooneys.  Of course, with the baggage door unlocked, it could also be unlatched, which will cause it to open in flight and cause damage.  Use at your own risk, as always.

The placards are simple Brother P-Touch, made using a very old machine.  I trim the labels as close to the lettering as possible, and it sticks quite well to the fabric.  The pull handle is velcro'ed to the fabric.

The labels are actually the same as I did all of my placards, just smaller sizes.  They look great from about 6" distance.

My logbook entry will be as follows: "Modified baggage door by the addition of 1/16" cable to allow emergency egress in the event of main door failure.  Operations check satisfactory, no change to original function of the baggage door.  Interior placard installed.  Weight and balance change negligible."

 

[Raptor05121]

That looks clean as hell! Good job!

 

[Marauder]

In a different thread I mentioned that I was going to be modifying my baggage door IAW an article I found in an old MAPA Log from January, 2012.  I finished the work and ended up differing from the original article a bit.  Please excuse the fact that part of my interior is out, part of it is grey, , and part is brand new (the baggage door cover, which I think came out pretty nice).
 
Baggage door mechanism before modification:

 
This is the door mechanism after modification.  I replaced the 2 standard washers with 3 'L' washers that are half the thickness of the standard.  I made a short pull mechanism out of 1/16" control cable and standard swages.  This shows the latched position.

 
This shows the unlatched position.



 
The changes that I made to the original design were to make for a better looking installation, IMO, and having the pulling direction to unlatch the door to be to the rear, not forward.  This will make it less likely for a child to see the pretty red handle and pull it.
The baggage door must remain unlocked for this to operate.  This is different from later model Mooneys.  Of course, with the baggage door unlocked, it could also be unlatched, which will cause it to open in flight and cause damage.  Use at your own risk, as always.
The placards are simple Brother P-Touch, made using a very old machine.  I trim the labels as close to the lettering as possible, and it sticks quite well to the fabric.  The pull handle is velcro'ed to the fabric.
The labels are actually the same as I did all of my placards, just smaller sizes.  They look great from about 6" distance.
My logbook entry will be as follows: "Modified baggage door by the addition of 1/16" cable to allow emergency egress in the event of main door failure.  Operations check satisfactory, no change to original function of the baggage door.  Interior placard installed.  Weight and balance change negligible."
 

Nice Andy! Ever think about building a kit and selling them? We got the SabreCowl now. How about the AndyOut? Rhyming with HandyOut?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

[Immelman]

Well done!!

[EricJ]

Awesome.   Thanks for the pics and for posting it.

[bradp]

Andy how is the swaged / looped cable connected to the little pull bar?  I maybe see one screw in it’s center.  The L washers create a space for the cable to loop around and not get pinched by the spring?

Simple and useful project. 

[Yetti]

must go dig out the swaging tool.   I think my brother has it.     Could be inclined to create a pull handle that looks like a mustache.  But I like the simplicity.   Beats hauling around a pilots axe.

[Andy95W]

10 hours ago, bradp said:

Andy how is the swaged / looped cable connected to the little pull bar?  I maybe see one screw in it’s center.  The L washers create a space for the cable to loop around and not get pinched by the spring?

Simple and useful project. 

The bolt going through the pull bar is just a standard AN3 bolt.  I'm not sure why it's so long, except it makes a handy place to attach my cable!  Yes, the L washers create a little more space for the cable.  The adjustment on the spring tension didn't seem to make much difference.

My best explanation is that once you remove the baggage door interior panel, and start flipping the mechanism back and forth, you'll see how simple my solution was.

[yvesg]

What is the difference between a washer and an “L” washer?

Yves

[Guest]

26 minutes ago, yvesg said:

What is the difference between a washer and an “L” washer?

Yves

AN washers come in 2 thicknesses, standard is 1/16” thick and the “L” version is 1/32” thick

Clarence

[yvesg]

Thanks for educating me (again) Clarence. If I see you in Oshkosh again this summer... free pizza is on me!

Yves

[Guest]

9 minutes ago, yvesg said:

Thanks for educating me (again) Clarence. If I see you in Oshkosh again this summer... free pizza is on me!

Yves

Would you deliver it to the south 40?

Clarence

[yvesg]

No delivery that far.... going to get cold ... however the Mooney Caravan tent shall be closer to the action this year since we are launching on the Saturday instead of the Sunday.

Yves

[Guest]

I will be bringing beer in my Comanche, because it can actually haul some.

Clarence

[Guest]

4 hours ago, David Herman said:

With that fuel burn it ought to be able to !!!

(hey Doc ... it’s a Mooney forum ... if you’re going to “bag” on our useful load ... you should expect some sort of comeback) 

I guess you had to be at the recent MooneySpace get together at Oshkosh when we were supposed to share 6 beers for 50 people.  I knew Mooney’s were efficient, I didn’t know the owners were that efficient as well.

Clarence

[Marauder]

I guess you had to be at the recent MooneySpace get together at Oshkosh when we were supposed to share 6 beers for 50 people.  I knew Mooney’s were efficient, I didn’t know the owners were that efficient as well.
Clarence

That get together probably was the result of the other Mooney owner attribute. Cheap Bast$&ds.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[amillet]

4 hours ago, M20Doc said:

I guess you had to be at the recent MooneySpace get together at Oshkosh when we were supposed to share 6 beers for 50 people.  I knew Mooney’s were efficient, I didn’t know the owners were that efficient as well.

Clarence

Humm, I distinctly recall Yves, Brenda and I purchasing multiple cases of beer and carrying them to the Mooney tent.  You must have arrived late Clarence.

[yvesg]

6 hours ago, amillet said:

Humm, I distinctly recall Yves, Brenda and I purchasing multiple cases of beer and carrying them to the Mooney tent.  You must have arrived late Clarence.

Alan is right. There was enough beer and pizza for everyone summer 2017. Thanks to Van Allen airmotive our event sponsor. I do not recall Clarence showing-up for this one. 

Yves

[mike_elliott]

13 hours ago, M20Doc said:

I guess you had to be at the recent MooneySpace get together at Oshkosh when we were supposed to share 6 beers for 50 people.  I knew Mooney’s were efficient, I didn’t know the owners were that efficient as well.

Clarence

Clarence, how many 6 packs of Labatts Blue does it take to change all the spark plugs in that Comanche?

[amillet]

Just saw a Comanche 400 at Mesa, AZ Falcon Field (KFFZ) with a Canadian registration number. Is it yours Clarence ? @M20Doc

[Guest]

3 hours ago, amillet said:

Just saw a Comanche 400 at Mesa, AZ Falcon Field (KFFZ) with a Canadian registration number. Is it yours Clarence ? @M20Doc

Not mine,  there are only 3 in Canada that I’m aware of.

Clarence

[Guest]

9 hours ago, mike_elliott said:

Clarence, how many 6 packs of Labatts Blue does it take to change all the spark plugs in that Comanche?

With $1600 worth of fine wires in my Comanche, that would work out to the equivalent of 160 six packs in Canada.

Clarence

[bradp]

There might be better uses of the Comanche UL than for 800# of Molson ice.  

[Hank]

10 hours ago, bradp said:

There might be better uses of the Comanche UL than for 800# of Molson ice.  

He could bring one of Marauder's girls!  

[amillet]

On 3/14/2018 at 10:30 AM, amillet said:

Just saw a Comanche 400 at Mesa, AZ Falcon Field (KFFZ) with a Canadian registration number. Is it yours Clarence ? @M20Doc

Here it is. Snow birding in AZ.