Open door for photography

Nick Bailey · #1 09-11-04, 08:30 AM

I would like to open the top of the clamshell door on my 337G to take aerial photos. I can't find anything against this in POH and have been told it can be done. Has anyone with claMshell tried this? Perhaps with front engine at zero thrust, semi slow flight in a slip while opening and closing might work? I don't want to try it unless someone who has done it can assure me or warn me off.
Thanks,
Nick Bailey
75 N5222T
nickbailey23@hotmail.com

kevin · #2 09-11-04, 03:19 PM

I have never had the door open in flight. You are not even supposed to TAXI with the top half of the clamshell door open, because it is part of the aircraft structure when closed. I must admit I *have* taxied with it open, but I would not want to risk it being open in flight.

Just for clarity, we are talking here about the clamshell door on 73 and later aircraft, not the classic Cessna window on the earlier airplanes.

Others may have different experiences or opinions.

Kevin

Pat Schmitz · #3 09-12-04, 11:44 PM

I remembered some information being on the other skymaster website regarding parachuting (!) from a skymaster... I have pasted some comments on it below...

[The webmaster has removed the remainder of this message as it is copied from another website, very probably without the copyright owners permission. The material can be found by going to this link:

http://www.skymaster.org.uk/fly.asp

and searching for the word "skydive" with your browser.

Sorry to remove it, but I try to keep the site clean with regard to copyright.

Thanks Pat, for pointing out where this information can be found.

Kevin]

SkyKing · #4 09-14-04, 03:52 PM

Nick,

Check page 3-34, in the EMERGENCY PROCEDURES section... it may be a different page in your 1975 "G" model manual. The specific section is entitled "INADVERTENT OPENING OF CABIN DOOR IN FLIGHT."

Since you've got a "G" model with those LARGE panoramic windows, perhaps you can come up with some lens modifications for shooting through tinted plexi, or perhaps replace both of those windows with non-tinted plexi... that might enable and enhance picture taking.

SkyKing