Flying without a door

[Taylor Maid]

Hello...I want to be able to fly without one of my doors on this summer. I have heard that I need a 337 form and an IA signoff. Is this so?

Does anyone have any experience with this or where I can find the answer??

Thanks!!!

-Taylor Maid

[taylorcraftbc65]

Flying Without Doors

I want to know too. more importantly than the paperwork,
is how well would my BC65 fly without them on? Has anyone
ever done this? What about turbulance ovet the tailfeathers?
Forrest, is there any way for me to find out what the original paint colors were on my plane when it left the factory?
By the way Taylor Maid, welcome to the board, you will find
a lot of VERY helpful people here. Sabrina

[lktiller]

I've only talked to people that have flown the Taylorcraft without doors. Their statement is no difference in the flying characteristics. Just a LOT of turbulence in the cockpit. Definitely feel any mis-coordination of the rudder.
Don't know where the STC is.

LKT

[taylorcraftbc65]

Going Doorless

I'm not sure that I would even DO it, I just like to know my options. If the wind noise is so bad you can't hear the radios,
then its not a good idea. I guess flying with the rear part of the windows slid forward, or the bottoms flipped up would give you the same "turn co-ordinator" as flying without the doors,
without being blown around so bad. Sabrina

[Forrest Barber]

doors

Most folks just do it; BUT there is an STC somewhere for flight with one door and both doors removed. You do the paperwork and then the pilot-owner can remove & replace like skis.
Yes there is turbulence with one off and almost twice as much with both off. I have the swing out windows and that is usually good enough. I do pull the right door for skydivers... another thing I have is a half door for the pilot side for aerial photos, the top part is cut off and pitched. photos soon bye Forrest

[Dick Smith]

Door removal STC

BC Series; SA208WE T.C. 696
Removal of right cabin door for parachute jumping
and aerial photography operations.
Glacier View Skyways Inc.
P.O. Box 252
Kalispell, MT 59901

[Robert Lees]

Well I have never been known to fly with either of the doors off...(or both doors off, so I don't know who the pilot is in this photo of my plane).

The cabin might get somewhat pressurised, so a robust headliner/rear cover might be useful to protect the aft fuselage from buffet/pressurisation.

Rob
[USA rules may well be different to ours in England]

[Brady]

Used to fly my BC-12 with the doors off

I laughed when I read this thread. Ignorance is bliss. I used to fly mine with the doors off and it never even occured to me that it would require any paperwork or approval...duh! I really enjoyed it. If the airspeed indicator was accurate with the doors off (it may not have been), it even stalled a couple knots slower with the doors off. It felt like driving a jeep!

[hawaiiJim]

baggage

With the doors or door off, please remember to remove all very light objects from the baggage compartment. Most quickly become airborne and may depart the space for parts unknown!

[Taylor Maid]

Thanks for all of the very helpful input! I will be doorless as soon as it gets above 40 degrees...that should be mid summer.

Happy Landings!