REFLECTOR:Gear Speed

Scott Baker reflector@tvbf.org
Fri, 26 Dec 2003 22:09:54 -0500


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One last time ...
In situations where the hydraulics are not working - and an emergency =
gear extension is performed, the gear should always free fall and enter =
the locked/overcenter position with ease.  The emergency gear extension =
system works.  Test the operation of the manual gear extension during =
simulated emergency conditions - if something does not work, fix it.  =
Your questions, John, lead me to believe that your manual gear extension =
operation isn't working - or that you have not tested it in flight to =
confirm that it works - and that you suspect that it probably will not =
work.  If that's the case, if it were me, I would not fly the aircraft =
until I was satisfied that it works 100% correctly, 100% of the time.  =
If this is something that you don't feel qualified to do yourself, then =
find someone who can do the job.
I think it's time we give this subject a rest.
Scott B.
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: John Dibble=20
  To: reflector@tvbf.org=20
  Sent: Friday, December 26, 2003 3:27 PM
  Subject: Re: REFLECTOR:Gear Speed




  Scott Baker wrote:

    The air stream doesn't offer a lot of force against the split nose =
gear doors.
  How do you know this?  Have you ever measured how much force there is?

      The weight of the nose gear leg, casting, wheel, and tire offer a =
goodly amount of weight.
  So prove to me that the air stream force on the doors is less than =
goodly.

      If the gear doesn't freely free fall through the doors at 120 =
knots, then something else (not the doors) is holding things up.
    The nose gear's free fall operation needn't be the subject of theory =
or to "Gee, I wonder if the slip stream is going to keep the gear doors =
from opening" speculation.
  It wouldn't be subject to theory if you can explain to me why my nose =
gear drops and locks perfectly on the ground and not in the air.

      Go fly the aircraft, test the emergency gear extension process and =
confirm that everything is working as it should.
  I did fly it - with a dead battery (not intentionally of course) - and =
it didn't work as it should.  Now I'm trying to find out why.

  John

      The gear should fall with deliberate movement and travel to the =
"down and locked" position with authority.  If it doesn't, find out =
what's stopping the system from doing so, and fix it.
    The slip stream will move the gear to the point that it _almost_ =
reaches the overcenter position.  A mirror will not tell you if the nose =
gear is in the overcenter/locked position.  If the gas spring is weak, =
it may not have enough force to push the linkage to the =
overcenter/locked position.  Also, if the gas spring is weak, it may get =
the gear to the overcenter position - but it may not have enough force =
to keep it in the overcenter position following touchdown.  Many =
Velocity builders have installed a little hole in the side of the keel =
to stick a pry-bar into the keel to help move the nose gear linkage that =
last little bit into the overcenter position (this is a failsafe to a =
failsafe).  Pulling some "G-forces" will help move the nose gear to the =
overcenter position.  It may not always do the job.
  Scott B.
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>One last time ...</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>In situations where the hydraulics are =
not working=20
- and an emergency gear extension is performed, the gear should always =
free fall=20
and enter the locked/overcenter position with ease.&nbsp; The emergency =
gear=20
extension system works.&nbsp; Test the operation of the manual gear =
extension=20
during simulated emergency conditions - if something does not work, fix=20
it.&nbsp; Your questions, John, lead me to believe that your manual gear =

extension operation isn't working - or that you have not tested it in =
flight to=20
confirm that it works - and that you suspect that it probably will not=20
work.&nbsp; If that's the case, if it were me, I would not fly the =
aircraft=20
until I was satisfied that it works 100% correctly, 100% of the =
time.&nbsp; If=20
this is something that you don't feel qualified to do yourself, then =
find=20
someone who can do the job.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I think it's time we give this subject =
a=20
rest.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Scott B.</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=3Dltr=20
style=3D"PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
  <DIV=20
  style=3D"BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>=20
  <A title=3Daminetech@bluefrog.com =
href=3D"mailto:aminetech@bluefrog.com">John=20
  Dibble</A> </DIV>
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=3Dreflector@tvbf.org=20
  href=3D"mailto:reflector@tvbf.org">reflector@tvbf.org</A> </DIV>
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Friday, December 26, 2003 =
3:27=20
  PM</DIV>
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: REFLECTOR:Gear =
Speed</DIV>
  <DIV><BR></DIV><BR><BR>Scott Baker wrote:<BR>
  <BLOCKQUOTE cite=3Dmid000f01c3cb6e$90e20b00$0200a8c0@DAD =
type=3D"cite">
    <META content=3D"MSHTML 6.00.2800.1276" name=3DGENERATOR>
    <STYLE></STYLE>

    <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>The air stream doesn't offer a lot =
of force=20
    against the split nose gear doors.</FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE>How do =
you know=20
  this?&nbsp; Have you ever measured how much force there is?<BR>
  <BLOCKQUOTE cite=3Dmid000f01c3cb6e$90e20b00$0200a8c0@DAD =
type=3D"cite">
    <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>&nbsp; The weight of the nose gear =
leg,=20
    casting, wheel, and tire offer a goodly amount of=20
  weight.</FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE>So prove to me that the air stream =
force on=20
  the doors is less than goodly.<BR>
  <BLOCKQUOTE cite=3Dmid000f01c3cb6e$90e20b00$0200a8c0@DAD =
type=3D"cite">
    <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>&nbsp; If the gear doesn't freely =
free fall=20
    through the doors at 120 knots, then something else (not the doors) =
is=20
    holding things up.</FONT></DIV>
    <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>The&nbsp;nose gear's free =
fall&nbsp;operation=20
    needn't be the subject of theory or to "Gee, I wonder if the slip =
stream is=20
    going to keep the gear doors from opening"=20
  speculation.</FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE>It wouldn't be subject to theory =
if you=20
  can explain to me why my nose gear drops and locks perfectly on the =
ground and=20
  not in the air.<BR>
  <BLOCKQUOTE cite=3Dmid000f01c3cb6e$90e20b00$0200a8c0@DAD =
type=3D"cite">
    <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>&nbsp; Go fly the aircraft, test =
the emergency=20
    gear extension process and confirm that everything is working as it=20
    should.</FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE>I did fly it - with a dead battery =
(not=20
  intentionally of course) - and it didn't work as it should.&nbsp; Now =
I'm=20
  trying to find out why.<BR><BR>John<BR>
  <BLOCKQUOTE cite=3Dmid000f01c3cb6e$90e20b00$0200a8c0@DAD =
type=3D"cite">
    <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>&nbsp; The gear should fall with =
deliberate=20
    movement and travel to the "down and locked" position with =
authority.&nbsp;=20
    If it doesn't, find out what's stopping the system from doing so, =
and fix=20
    it.</FONT></DIV>
    <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>The slip stream will move the gear =
to the point=20
    that it _almost_ reaches the overcenter position.&nbsp; A mirror =
will not=20
    tell you if the nose gear is in the overcenter/locked =
position.&nbsp; If the=20
    gas spring is weak, it may not have enough force to push the linkage =
to the=20
    overcenter/locked position.&nbsp; Also, if the gas spring is weak, =
it may=20
    get the gear to the overcenter position - but it may not have enough =
force=20
    to keep it in the overcenter position following touchdown.&nbsp; =
Many=20
    Velocity builders have installed a little hole in the side of the =
keel to=20
    stick a pry-bar into the keel to help move the nose gear linkage =
that last=20
    little bit&nbsp;into the overcenter position (this is a failsafe to =
a=20
    failsafe).&nbsp; Pulling some "G-forces" will&nbsp;help =
move&nbsp;the nose=20
    gear to the overcenter position.&nbsp; It may not always do the=20
    job.</FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE>
  <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Scott B.</FONT></DIV>
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  type=3D"cite"></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>

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