REFLECTOR: Nose Gear Strut Mount

Mon May 9 08:34:36 CDT 2011

Jon,

Here's some info on our taxi and landing lights...

The photo doesn't show the attachment for the taxi lights very well, but it
takes advantage of the fact that the nose gear leg is curving in that area
to avoid any direct attachments (holes drilled) into the leg itself.  The
light mount (and the tow bar 'tangs' below it) were made by my partner (Ron
Marini).  

The tow bar bracket is a tight fitting 'cap' made out of 1/4" aluminum and
secured to the top of the fork with four SOHC's (two visible).  It sure
makes moving (our heavy) Velocity around on the ramp and in the hangar a lot
easier being able to attach a standard aircraft tow bar.  As previously
pointed out, having the 'tangs' in the back probably only helps stabilize
against shimmy on takeoff (while accelerating, which isn't normally a shimmy
threat).  With them in the rear, the tangs probably contribute to shimmy
when landing (decelerating), but we haven't had any trouble with it, so I
think the extra weight of the tangs must be insignificant.  However, they
would be more accessible to the tow bar if in the front...

My aircraft partner made the taxi light bracket by molding fiberglass around
the lower curved portion of the nose gear leg, then splitting it in half
once dry.  He added thin aluminum sheeting to attach the lights themselves,
and the two halves of the fiberglass leg 'sleeve' are held together by hose
clamps on each end.  

It took a long time for us to get the lights (especially landing lights)
properly aimed to account for the angle of attack during landing so that
they would actually put light on the runway where desired, but work well
now.  The angle required for the taxi and landing lights is obviously very
different, so you can't use the same light for both.  But it might be better
to have the landing lights in front to avoid (the minor) distraction of the
landing lights illuminating the back of the canard in flight.  Ron decided
on the landing lights in back on the main gear legs so there would be more
light (from four of them).  The lights themselves are standard 24 vdc home
style track lights (mounted inside the 'hogged' out and shortened) Mag light
shells. 

One other related detail -- we use a second set of gear down microswitches
(and associated relays) so that the landing lights can't be ON in the wheel
wells even if you forget to turn off the Taxi or Landing light primary
switches after you raise the gear.

Hope this 'sheds a little light' on the issue!

Bob Jackson

Ron Marini

N2XF

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From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On
Behalf Of Bachman, Jonathan
Sent: Saturday, May 07, 2011 1:41 AM
To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list
Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Nose Gear Strut Mount

I considered that but these LED lights are pretty substantial and I was
looking for something more robust. 

Jon Bachman

575 430-9724

MTSI

 <mailto:jonathan.bachman at mtsi-va.com> jonathan.bachman at mtsi-va.com

From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On
Behalf Of Rene Dugas
Sent: Friday, May 06, 2011 1:18 PM
To: 'Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list'
Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Nose Gear Strut Mount

Screw hose clamps work.

Rene'

From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On
Behalf Of Bachman, Jonathan
Sent: Friday, May 06, 2011 2:04 PM
To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list
Subject: REFLECTOR: Nose Gear Strut Mount

Does anyone have any pictures or descriptions of mounts attached to the RG
nose strut?  Specifically, I want to mount some 2 inch square LED lights for
landing/taxi lights.  I've seen some other builders use Mag lights as
landing lights and mount them on the nose gear strut, but I could not see
how they were mounted.  Any ideas would be helpful.  Thanks

Jon Bachman

N956DR

Std RG

 <mailto:jonathan.bachman at mtsi-va.com> jonathan.bachman at mtsi-va.com

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