701 bubble doors, interchangeable with VG

[Ultralights]

Just a quick question, does anyone know if the 701 bubble doors will fit onto the Savannah VG?

 

 

[Marty_d]

Don't know, but I'm hoping they're interchangeable, as I have a couple of second hand Sav doors to go on my 701.

 

 

[xair1159]

In the UK there was an incident where a Zenith bubble door detached in flight and damaged the tail.

 

Investigation showed it was caused by the curved shape generating enough lift to overcome the latches.

 

I will try and find the report and post it.

 

 

[xair1159]

http://www.lightaircraftassociation.co.uk/2015/Magazine/May/safety%20spot.pdf

 

See page 51

 

 

[Marty_d]

In the UK there was an incident where a Zenith bubble door detached in flight and damaged the tail.Investigation showed it was caused by the curved shape generating enough lift to overcome the latches.

I will try and find the report and post it.

There was a rash of reports from the US too. On the Zenith.aero site there were some conversations about it, from purely anecdotal evidence at least 3 or 4 over there had either partially or fully lost doors in flight. Nothing that a good multi-point latch won't fix.

 

 

[eightyknots]

There was a rash of reports from the US too. On the Zenith.aero site there were some conversations about it, from purely anecdotal evidence at least 3 or 4 over there had either partially or fully lost doors in flight. Nothing that a good multi-point latch won't fix.

I am pretty confident that Reg Brost's multipoint latches would be pretty adaptable to ensure the 701's doors don't 'depart' in flight: http://www.aerokits.net.au/prod02.htm

 

 

[AllanBendigo]

Zenith bubble doors come with a three point latching system

 

It is the builders responsibility to ensure the doors are locked and do not open accidentally in flight

 

 

[Ultralights]

i am aware of the bubble door issues, but were they with a 3 point latching system? or the original single point? dont forget, the doors on the SavannahVG are already bubbled out to some degree.

 

 

[Marty_d]

i am aware of the bubble door issues, but were they with a 3 point latching system? or the original single point? dont forget, the doors on the SavannahVG are already bubbled out to some degree.

Not sure. I went back to the zenith.aero site but can't locate those forum posts now. If the original Zenith bubble door was a single point latch that could have been the problem and as Allan said they have a 3 point system - maybe they changed after those incidents?

 

 

[Marty_d]

I know this is an old thread but I can answer it from experience now... NO... Sav VG doors do NOT fit the 701.

 

701 doors are a different shape and slightly smaller.  I ended up fabricating pretty much everything and using the perforated top-hat profile stiffening from the Sav doors (cut down) to make the framework.