<<Maplin & RS do some....> Yes, I started with these components but then
discovered someone doing a complete circuit board with all components for
#30.(sold as a "Parking radar", spose that's what we're trying to do too
!). However from the circuit it seems to be a preset threshold device
which is not as nice as a continuous readout or tone, so mods in this
direction are proceeding.
<<if gets out of place and points forward....>> Can't see that this would
happen as the slipstream will be trying to wind it back up. Anyway it
would be a replaceable frangible thing to avoid any painful episodes as
you describe. Needs to have cord to pull it up after landing as taxying
would hammer it a bit, and hardly practical to raise the gear to park it
again ! On that subject I live in mortal fear of the gear going up
unintentionally even in the workshop. A pin sprung loaded across the u/c
gate withdrawn by solenoid only when the weight is off the wheel would be
better than the widget currently dropping into the slot. (The latter is
something of a hazard to one's palm when lowering the gear and of course
it doesn't know whether you are on the ground or not). The solenoid could
be disabled by a switch detecting the weight on the main wheel. (Even
empty, there is over half an inch deflection of the main wheel at
standard pressure to operate it). Though it would spring in again if
electrics failed in flight and prevent you getting the gear back down, it
would be readily accessible and manually operable.
gemin
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