REFLECTOR:Confession Week!!!

Sat, 29 May 2004 08:00:34 -0400

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Speaking of Gear Up's,  How about a Gear Down!

I took off one morning to fly chase for Phil Vaughn's first flight in =
his XL. I flew the 30 minutes over to Burlington, NC in no big hurry, =
enjoying the scenery.  When I entered the downwind, I flipped the gear =
switch, and confusion set in.  Why didn't the green down lights come on =
after the gear pump ran and cut off?  Then I hit the gear reset switch.  =
Nothing.  After a few frantic seconds, I finally figured it out.  I had =
taken off from Lake Norman Airpark and I never raised the gear.  I flew =
all the way with the gear hanging out.  When I got in the down wind, I =
flipped the switch and the gear came up!  After muttering "Dumb A___", I =
flipped the gear switch back down.

Yeah, Nathan, I have the post take off procedure on the panel, Gear Up, =
Fuel Pump Off, Cruise Climb.  But now I try to remember to USE IT!!!

Ronnie
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Al Gietzen=20
  To: reflector@tvbf.org=20
  Sent: Friday, May 28, 2004 9:04 PM
  Subject: RE: REFLECTOR:Confession Week!!!

  Subject: Re: REFLECTOR:Confession Week!!!

  > Aw, I think we ought to have one week of confessions!!!

  How about a "gear up" landing - in the garage!!

  I didn't think I would ever tell anybody this, but looking back on it, =
it is so-o-o stupid as to be funny; and hard to top.

  This was fortunately with no wings and no engine. I was doing =
something on the plane (don't remember what) that led me to want one of =
the main gear up.  I grabbed the jack stand; put it under the spar near =
the outboard end of the strake, and jacked until the wheel was off.  I =
proceeded to climb into the back of the plane to lift the gear latch to =
unlock the gear.  WHAMB-BAM!  Uh-huh.  Those of you with RGs know - the =
latch locks both gear.  There it was; down on the concrete - nose gear =
extended.

  Fortunately, other the incredible surprise, and bruised ego, there was =
little damage. As soon as the gear collapsed, the other side came off =
the jack stand.  The end of one strake hit first and then the bottom of =
the fuselage. Just a very slight deformation under the end of the strake =
spar; and a smashed end of the fuel vent tube that extended out bottom.  =
No injuries to the occupant.  It's a sturdy airframe.

  You know what they say about retract drivers - there are those who =
have landed "gear-up", those that will.  I've already done mine.

  Al

  Anybody want to go flying with me?

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<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>Speaking of Gear Up's,&nbsp; How about a Gear=20
Down!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>I took off one morning to fly chase for Phil =
Vaughn's first=20
flight in his XL.&nbsp;I flew the 30 minutes over to Burlington, NC in =
no big=20
hurry, enjoying the scenery.&nbsp; When I entered the downwind, I =
flipped the=20
gear switch, and confusion set in.&nbsp; Why didn't the green down =
lights come=20
on after the gear pump ran and cut off?&nbsp; Then I hit the gear reset=20
switch.&nbsp; Nothing.&nbsp; After a few frantic seconds, I finally =
figured it=20
out.&nbsp; I had taken off from Lake Norman Airpark and I never raised =
the=20
gear.&nbsp; I flew all the way with the gear hanging out.&nbsp; When I =
got in=20
the down wind, I flipped the switch and the gear came up!&nbsp; After =
muttering=20
"Dumb A___", I flipped the gear switch back down.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>Yeah, Nathan, I have the post take off procedure on =
the panel,=20
Gear Up, Fuel Pump Off, Cruise Climb.&nbsp; But now I try to remember to =
USE=20
IT!!!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>Ronnie</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=3DALVentures@cox.net href=3D"mailto:ALVentures@cox.net">Al =
Gietzen</A>=20
  </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, May 28, 2004 9:04 =
PM</DIV>
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> RE: =
REFLECTOR:Confession=20
  Week!!!</DIV>
  <DIV><BR></DIV>
  <DIV class=3DSection1>
  <P class=3DMsoPlainText><FONT face=3DNimrod size=3D2><SPAN=20
  style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Subject: Re: REFLECTOR:Confession=20
  Week!!!</SPAN></FONT></P>
  <P class=3DMsoPlainText><FONT face=3DNimrod size=3D2><SPAN=20
  style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 11pt"></SPAN></FONT>&nbsp;</P>
  <P class=3DMsoPlainText><FONT face=3DNimrod size=3D2><SPAN=20
  style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 11pt">&gt; Aw, I think we ought to have one week =
of=20
  confessions!!!</SPAN></FONT></P>
  <P class=3DMsoPlainText><FONT face=3DNimrod size=3D2><SPAN=20
  style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 11pt"></SPAN></FONT>&nbsp;</P>
  <P class=3DMsoPlainText><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2><SPAN=20
  style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">How about a =
&#8220;gear up&#8221; landing &#8211;=20
  in the garage!!</SPAN></FONT></P>
  <P class=3DMsoPlainText><FONT face=3DVerdana color=3Dblack =
size=3D2><SPAN=20
  style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">I =
didn&#8217;t think I=20
  would ever tell anybody this, but looking back on it, it is so-o-o =
stupid as=20
  to be funny; and hard to top.</SPAN></FONT></P>
  <P class=3DMsoPlainText><FONT face=3DVerdana color=3Dblack =
size=3D2><SPAN=20
  style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: =
Verdana"></SPAN></FONT>&nbsp;</P>
  <P class=3DMsoPlainText><FONT face=3DVerdana color=3Dblack =
size=3D2><SPAN=20
  style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">This was =

fortunately with no wings and no engine. I was doing something on the =
plane=20
 (don&#8217;t remember what) that led me to want one of the main gear =
up.&nbsp; I=20
 grabbed the <SPAN=20
 style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">jack<FONT=20
 face=3DVerdana color=3Dblack>=20
 stand; put it under the spar near the outboard end of the strake, and=20
 <SPAN=20
 style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">jack<FONT=20
 face=3DVerdana color=3Dblack>ed=20
 until the wheel was off. &nbsp;I proceeded to climb into the back of =
the plane=20
 to lift the gear latch to unlock the gear. &nbsp;WHAMB-BAM!&nbsp;=20
 Uh-huh.&nbsp; Those of you with RGs know &#8211; the latch locks both =
gear.&nbsp;=20
 There it was; down on the concrete &#8211; nose gear =
extended.
 <SPAN=20
 style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: =
Verdana">&nbsp;
 <SPAN=20
 style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: =
Verdana">Fortunately, other=20
 the incredible surprise, and bruised ego, there was little damage. As =
soon as=20
 the gear collapsed, the other side came off the <FONT=20
 face=3DVerdana color=3Dblack><SPAN=20
 style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">jack<FONT=20
 face=3DVerdana color=3Dblack>=20
 stand. &nbsp;The end of one strake hit first and then the bottom of =
the=20
 fuselage. Just a very slight deformation under the end of the strake =
spar; and=20
 a smashed end of the fuel vent tube that extended out bottom.&nbsp; No =

  injuries to the occupant.&nbsp; It&#8217;s a sturdy =
airframe.</SPAN></FONT></P>
  <P class=3DMsoPlainText><FONT face=3DVerdana color=3Dblack =
size=3D2><SPAN=20
  style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: =
Verdana"></SPAN></FONT>&nbsp;</P>
  <P class=3DMsoPlainText><FONT face=3DVerdana color=3Dblack =
size=3D2><SPAN=20
  style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">You know =
what they=20
  say about retract drivers &#8211; there are those who have landed =
&#8220;gear-up&#8221;, those=20
  that will.&nbsp; I&#8217;ve already done mine.</SPAN></FONT></P>
  <P class=3DMsoPlainText><FONT face=3DVerdana color=3Dblack =
size=3D2><SPAN=20
  style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: =
Verdana"></SPAN></FONT>&nbsp;</P>
  <P class=3DMsoPlainText><FONT face=3DVerdana color=3Dblack =
size=3D2><SPAN=20
  style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: =
Verdana">Al</SPAN></FONT></P>
  <P class=3DMsoPlainText><FONT face=3DVerdana color=3Dblack =
size=3D2><SPAN=20
  style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: =
Verdana"></SPAN></FONT>&nbsp;</P>
  <P class=3DMsoPlainText><FONT face=3DVerdana color=3Dblack =
size=3D2><SPAN=20
  style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Anybody =
want to go=20
  flying with me?</SPAN></FONT></P>
  <P class=3DMsoPlainText><FONT face=3DVerdana color=3Dblack =
size=3D2><SPAN=20
  style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: =
Verdana"></SPAN></FONT>&nbsp;</P></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>

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