exerpt of an email I sent to cirrus a month ago…make sure your latch are tight…the smallest vibration caused the pin to sheer…
Descending at 155 knots the other day the left side of the 'oil fill
cover’
popped up two or three inches. I immediately leveled and descended to 80
knots. Upon inspection, the front ‘pin’ on the latch had sheared from
the
vibration and broke away allowing the cover to lift and partially open.
The
FBO I landed at repaired with the nut and bolt pictured which now seems
stronger than ‘the original’ and eliminates vibration.
Naturally at that speed, I had visions (while ducking low in the seat)
of
the lid breaking loose entirely from the piano hinge or the whole hinge
completely from the top of the cowling. Then, smashing the windshield.
image]http://www.cirruspilots.org/public/pix/nut_and_bolt_repair_1.jpg[/image]
It seems to me there are some quick and easy remedies:
- place 3 hinges there vs. 2
- replace the piano hinge with a ‘spring loaded’ hinge which always
keeps
downward pressure on the cowling. A small prop up bar to hold open when
checking oil.- have some sort of ‘safety’ strap attached
- on future models…hinge the lid on the ‘left side’. It would raise
toward the prop and close toward the windshield. This would render it
impossible to pop up during flight even if you didn’t latch it at all!Don Rennie
CEO
Rennie Petroleum Corp.
9030 Stony Point Pkwy.
Suite 110
Richmond, Va. 23235
804-864-2450 Ext. 100
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![http://www.cirruspilots.org/public/pix/nut_and_bolt_repair_1.jpg[/image]](http://www.cirruspilots.org/public/pix/nut_and_bolt_repair_1.jpg%5B/image%5D){kind=link}