REFLECTOR: Main Gear Doors

Richard J. Gentil richard at naples-air-center.com
Mon Jun 25 17:49:39 CDT 2012


Tom,

When you mount your sump tank to the forward side of the firewall you will put a hole in the center of the lower fuselage in order to sump the tank. That is the point you will have the fuel vent drain through and any water that gets through your gear opening will also drain there. 

Richard

Sent from my iPhone 4 Classic

On Jun 25, 2012, at 6:22 PM, Tom Falls <tomfalls6 at gmail.com> wrote:

> Alex,
> 
> My plane is upside down so it's a little difficult for me to determine how water would flow from the gear openings but, I think your right. It will be trapped between the fire wall and gear bulkhead. However it may get into the wire ducts thru the hole for the brake lines and then run forward from there.
> 
> What ever gets past the wire ducts looks like it will accumulate at the gear bulkhead and not near the fuel vent. I think I'll put a small weep hole centered behind the gear bulkhead to keep that area drained. Must also remember to keep the floor in that area clear of electrical equipment.
> 
> Tom
> 
> On Jun 25, 2012, at 12:26 PM, "Alex Balic" <velocity_pilot at verizon.net> wrote:
> 
>> I will have to check, but I believe that the gear opening area connects to
>> the area that the vent line penetrates the belly so the water would drain
>> there, not sure if you would see any water in there die to the location and
>> air flow during flight- washing with a hose might be another story
>> though....
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On
>> Behalf Of Tom Falls
>> Sent: Friday, June 22, 2012 5:24 PM
>> To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list
>> Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Main Gear Doors
>> 
>> 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
>>> 
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> To change your email address, visit
>>> http://www.tvbf.org/mailman/listinfo/reflector
>>> 
>>> Visit the gallery!  www.tvbf.org/gallery user:pw = tvbf:jamaicangoose 
>>> Check new archives: www.tvbf.org/pipermail Check old archives:
>>> http://www.tvbf.org/archives/velocity/maillist.html
>>> 
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> To change your email address, visit 
>>> http://www.tvbf.org/mailman/listinfo/reflector
>>> 
>>> Visit the gallery!  www.tvbf.org/gallery user:pw = tvbf:jamaicangoose 
>>> Check new archives: www.tvbf.org/pipermail Check old archives: 
>>> http://www.tvbf.org/archives/velocity/maillist.html
>> _______________________________________________
>> To change your email address, visit
>> http://www.tvbf.org/mailman/listinfo/reflector
>> 
>> Visit the gallery!  www.tvbf.org/gallery user:pw = tvbf:jamaicangoose Check
>> new archives: www.tvbf.org/pipermail Check old archives:
>> http://www.tvbf.org/archives/velocity/maillist.html
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> To change your email address, visit http://www.tvbf.org/mailman/listinfo/reflector
>> 
>> Visit the gallery!  www.tvbf.org/gallery
>> user:pw = tvbf:jamaicangoose
>> Check new archives: www.tvbf.org/pipermail
>> Check old archives: http://www.tvbf.org/archives/velocity/maillist.html
> _______________________________________________
> To change your email address, visit http://www.tvbf.org/mailman/listinfo/reflector
> 
> Visit the gallery!  www.tvbf.org/gallery
> user:pw = tvbf:jamaicangoose
> Check new archives: www.tvbf.org/pipermail
> Check old archives: http://www.tvbf.org/archives/velocity/maillist.html


More information about the Reflector mailing list