One owner told me they usually do. This would egress difficult unless the canopy was jettisoned before the ditching. Getting the raft deployed might also be fun.
Well, having worked on oil rigs in the North Sea, it’s mandatory with this heli-ditching course (practical training). The procedure is as follows:
All in all, it’s piece of cake. Don’t know what should be worse in an RV. A hammer to chip a hole in the canopy would perhaps be nice.
Experiences from cars which ended up underwater (perhaps somebody following their satnav 
) suggest that you cannot open a door then.
Also a hammer won’t break plexiglass.
It is called HUET training, must be done once within 4 years (usually, dependent on NAA) covering all offshore, SAR,
wind turbine, etc heli pilots and crew.
Spare Air with small Axe with 5 point harness are your best friends in such harsh condition.
I think we’ve discussed this in another thread on ditching and sorry about the thread drift but from what I remember from a course I did there’s another important thing to ingrain into your brain:
While the canopy fills or has filled with water, DO NOT UNBUCKLE. You may start floating and lose all bearings on where the exit and exit handle is. Instead, grasp the exit handle and don’t let go, and when water pressure is equalized unbuckle and open the door/canopy.
Ending upside down is not much fun I guess. Obviously, over water I am always going to pull the chute.
I was hoping to keep this type specific i.e. fixed gear and tailwheel.
The tendency to flip is obvious; the Q is whether it always happens.
I researched the subject somewhat prior to my Tour… out of all the cases known to me, only one did not flip. The guy ditched, and walked dry feet directly onto a fishing boat that was nearby
His secret: the use of flaps 0.
And so the same made it’s way on my checklist 
I know of tailwheel Jodels and one nosewheel Robin which did not flip. The Robin was nose down, but no problem getting out. But the life jackets were in the rear, and they decided not to get them in case they got trapped. One drowned.
I have doubts about the Bolkow Junior. Opening the canopy before touchdown would mean high speed water into face. After touchdown canopy would likely be held close by water pressure, even if it didn’t flip. I have a heavy knife to try to smash it.
I’ve never done any courses, but used to get into a capsized canoe, put on the spray deck, and roll it up.
I always wear a life jacket.
Peter wrote:
I was hoping to keep this type specific i.e. fixed gear and tailwheel.
It’s the tricycle ‘A’ model RVs that tend to flip over, as the nose leg is quite weak. There are some mods available to beef it up. https://antisplataero.com/products/the-nose-job-two.
Sorry – just realised you were referring to flipping on ditching. Ignore the above.
Dan wrote:
I researched the subject somewhat prior to my Tour… out of all the cases known to me, only one did not flip. The guy ditched, and walked dry feet directly onto a fishing boat that was nearby
His secret: the use of flaps 0.And so the same made it’s way on my checklist
Any idea why that is? Faster landing? Flatter landing? Nose a bit higher on touchdown?
