REFLECTOR: Nose Gear Strut Mount

[Bachman, Jonathan]

Bob, Thanks that helps a lot!

Jon Bachman
jonathan.bachman at mtsi-va.com<mailto:jonathan.bachman at mtsi-va.com>
From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On Behalf Of Bob Jackson (Jax Tech)
Sent: Monday, May 09, 2011 7:35 AM
To: 'Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list'
Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Nose Gear Strut Mount

Jon,

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

[cid:image001.jpg at 01CC0E27.3A85EA70]

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.

[cid:image002.jpg at 01CC0E27.3A85EA70]  [cid:image003.jpg at 01CC0E27.3A85EA70]

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


________________________________
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
jonathan.bachman at mtsi-va.com<mailto: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
jonathan.bachman at mtsi-va.com<mailto:jonathan.bachman at mtsi-va.com>
________________________________
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://www.tvbf.org/mailman/private/reflector/attachments/20110509/3e11586f/attachment-0001.htm>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 18288 bytes
Desc: image001.jpg
URL: <http://www.tvbf.org/mailman/private/reflector/attachments/20110509/3e11586f/attachment-0003.jpg>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image002.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 18877 bytes
Desc: image002.jpg
URL: <http://www.tvbf.org/mailman/private/reflector/attachments/20110509/3e11586f/attachment-0004.jpg>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image003.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 15291 bytes
Desc: image003.jpg
URL: <http://www.tvbf.org/mailman/private/reflector/attachments/20110509/3e11586f/attachment-0005.jpg>