RE: Europa-List: Re. mono gear collapse - One way to make the lever stiffer

[Peter Jeffers <pjeffers@talktalk.net>]

Date: Sun, 4 Mar 2007 15:03:39 -0000

Hi Stephan,


As you say it is essential that the gear lever joint is absolutely 
rigid.
There is the optional mod, or the =91bonded=92 approach or indeed both.
Together with the solid joint must go the proviso, as clearly defined in 
the
instructions, that there is positive contact at both downlock stops. 
This
should ensure a safe downlock configuration.


To ensure that this situation does not change over time and especially 
after
=91heavy=92 landings, regular inspections need to be carried out.  
During the
course of inspections on a couple of Europas I have found this positive 
stop
contact to have been lost on  one side.  I have no reason to think that 
they
were originally built this way but have got that way in service.  The
effectiveness of the over centre lock is negated if one side makes 
contact
early.


On the matter of =91keeping it straight=92 then this would seem fine 
just
providing that at the up and locked position the gear handle is firmly
sprung loaded into the detent in the gear lever slot. IE spring loaded 
to
the right!

If not there is a nasty tendency for the gear to come out of the 
=91up=92
position  in flight, particularly in turbulence. This can happen at 165 
kts!
(flap limit speed?)


How is the weather in Norway this weekend?  I bet is was OK.  
Grrrrrrrrr.


Pete Jeffers


   _____  

From: owner-europa-list-server@matronics.com
[mailto:owner-europa-list-server@matronics.com] On Behalf Of Stephan 
Cassel
Sent: 04 March 2007 11:19
Subject: Re: Europa-List: Re. mono gear collapse - One way to make the 
lever
stiffer 


Hi 


I think both David and Graham have made the right conclusions.


The key thing is to make the gear lever as stiff as possible and no play
when it is in gear-down locked position.

One way to make the lever much stronger is NOT to bend the lever as per
manual. Keep it straight. 
Moment may twist the lever, not much but enough to introduce a small 
play
when forces in not in one plan. 
The optional strut will help but the strut is quite week. And Dural gets
much softer when you try to bend it.

The trick is to mount the lever on the other side of LG08S and use one
counter sink bolt and file the edge of the lever slightly, see link 
below

HYPERLINK
"http://scassel.se/europa/cap4/images/DSCN1129.JPG"http://scassel.se/euro
pa/
cap4/images/DSCN1129.JPG (The smallest distance between lever and the
landing gear frame will be about 2 mm)


The lever will then go throw the tunnel exactly as per manual.


HYPERLINK
"http://scassel.se/europa/cap4/images/DSCN1130.JPG"http://scassel.se/euro
pa/
cap4/images/DSCN1130.JPG


And, as David Joyce said, the joint between lever and LG08S must be 
solid as
rock. Sanded contact surfaces and Araldite 420 make that possible.


Regards Stephan


LN 'STE. Permit to fly. 

First flight when weather permits and then Pete Jeffers will kindly take
here up for the virgin flight. 


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03/03/2007
08:12 

-- 
03/03/2007
08:12