Europa-List: RE: The Obsidian File - Mono Undercarriage

[Erich Trombley <erichdtrombley@juno.com>]

--> Europa-List message posted by: Erich Trombley <erichdtrombley@juno.com>

Nice work Area-51.  

Here’s my take on the purpose of the bungee;  to assist both the retract and 
extension of the swing arm.  I am still flying with the original bungee some 25 
years after first installing it.  I have re-tensioned it a couple of times over 
the years.  The issue I am currently experiencing, which is driving me to the 
change out the bungee this year, is the gear extension.  Once the gear 
retraction lever is free of the up gate I have to be very careful not to let 
the gear free fall and slam into the down gate.   Now, my flaps are decoupled 
from the outriggers, so I don’t have the airloads to deal with.

As noted by you and others, the last bit of up travel requires the most effort. 
 My technique is to pitch the plane forward just as I approach the up gate.  
The pitching moment really helps get the landing gear retraction lever into the 
gate.   To lower the gear I perform the same action.  A slight push on the 
stick and the lever advances forward rising off of the up gate stop, making it 
easy to deflect the lever out of the gate to lower the gear. I just need to 
keep a firm grip on the lever to keep the gear from free falling.  

Erich






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