REFLECTOR: Main Gear Doors

[Tom Falls]

Thanks Alex. What about rain when flying or water when washing the plane. Isn't the bottom of the gear opening in the fuselage likely to let water into the back of the plane? Perhaps the small door may help when flying if used with the gear leg doors, but certainly not while hosing the plane off on the ground.

What are others seeing in terms of water in the plane that can be traced to the gear opening in the fuselage? Is it not an issue or is there some other way besides the gear doors to prevent this?

Thanks,
Tom

Sent from my iPad

On Jun 22, 2012, at 11:31 AM, "Alex" <velocity_pilot at verizon.net> wrote:

> Hi Tom,
> Not only are the small doors no longer used, but a lot of owners have
> removed the gear leg cover portions of the gear doors, leaving only the
> wheel covers in place with little or no effect on airspeed.  Removing the
> gear leg covers does however allow a significantly higher gear extension
> speed.
> 
> Alex
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On
> Behalf Of Tom Falls
> Sent: Friday, June 22, 2012 8:58 AM
> To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list
> Subject: REFLECTOR: Main Gear Doors
> 
> My old build manual (1996?) shows the fabrication and installation of a
> small 3" hinged door at the fuselage junction of the main gear doors.
> Looking thru the build manuals on line, I don't see any reference to this
> small door. Is this small door needed and just overlooked in the new manuals
> or has it been determined to be of no value?
> 
> Are there any consequences of not having this door from a speed, air
> infiltration, moisture from rain or other stand point?
> 
> Thanks,
> Tom
> 
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