Remi, It isn't clear to me that being without one or even both outriggers
should be much of a disaster other than in the most exceptional
circumstances. Gliders after all always land without any, just keeping the
plane level & pointing in roughly the right direction until it stops, when
it gently subsides on to one or other wingtip. If anything the loss of an
outrigger should help to keep that wing up as the other will be slightly
weighed down. As we are as often as not on one or other outrigger wheel
during the take off & landing run, dealing with the very small amount of
drag on a solitary outrigger shouldn't be too difficult. I wouldn't look for
alternatives, just perhaps think of taking a spare if embarking on a long
tour.
Regards, David Joyce, G-XSDJ
----- Original Message -----
From: "Remi Guerner" <air.guerner@orange.fr>
Sent: Tuesday, October 28, 2008 10:19 AM
Subject: Europa-List: outrigger leg broke
Kevin,
Sorry for your mishap! It seems this could happen to all of us monowheel
drivers and I am very concerned about that happening to me. The consequences
could even be more serious than a broken prop, especially on a narrow
mountain or farm strip bordered by fences, ditches or trees. Relying on the
random quality of a piece of nylon is not satisfying.
Has any one engineered a replacement rod made of other material such as
glassfiber or metal ? Some motorgliders are using spring steel rods
successfully. It seems to me that the possible failure of those materials
under extreme load, fatigue or aging would be a lot more predictable than
with the supplied nylon outriggers.
Regards
Remi
<<I broke right where it meets the alum. mount.
I didn't hit anything. Was turning right at fast walking speed when the
left wing went down and made noise, my instinct was to pull the brake
lever that my hand was already on. Maybe if I didn't touch the brake...>>>
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