I love retractable gear airplanes

jd21476

jd21476

Line Up and Wait
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jd21476
I was just watching a video on the new Daimondstar DA 50 RG and it made me think of just how much I love RG airplanes. I know from a safety standpoint and maintenance standpoint they just are not as safe or easy on maintenance but there is just something about have the gear tucked.

I had a Grumman AA1 prior to buying my Comanche and while the fixed gear was fine I just love reaching over and hitting the gear switch. Sometimes on a twilight take off when the sun is just right I will get a nice shadow effect and can watch the gear go up.

I still find myself saying, "gear coming up" or "gear coming down" as I reach for the switch even if no one is in the plane with me. I know its dorky...but...I love it.

How about you?
 
Got to admit...gear going up in my Arrow beat flying my Warrior any day...understand the feeling.
 
They’re nice.....
 

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Love the triple "thump" of the gear coming up and the funny little Yaw Dance the Sierra does in transition.
 
smv said:
Love the triple "thump" of the gear coming up and the funny little Yaw Dance the Sierra does in transition.
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To me, the "thump" and the associated acceleration is the most satisfying part.
The delay between hitting the gear switch and seeing the green lights is the most dissatisfying part, especially so when the delay is infinite.
 
My line is between piston and turboprop. In my personal life I'll probably never own a Tprop, so a piston is just fine. If the gear sucks up or down and welded doesn't matter much , I'm still off the ground!
 
RG is great when it’s working properly. The first time you have to hand crank it down isn’t so good.
 
frfly172 said:
RG is great when it’s working properly. The first time you have to hand crank it down isn’t so good.
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No handcrank on the Beech. Pop the breaker, grab the T-Wrench, open the door, twist the valve. Done. :D
 
I’m transitioning from fixed gear Tiger to v tail Bonanza (obviously RG). The “feel” as they retract or come down is substantial and satisfying to the increased performance. Not sure I’ll love the increased annual and maintenance but that’s all in the future!
 
frfly172 said:
RG is great when it’s working properly. The first time you have to hand crank it down isn’t so good.
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Meh. Number of times I’ve had to do that for real in >3,000 hours of retract flying: 0. Aztec, 310, 414, Navajo, MU2, Mooney, some others in there too that I’ve forgotten I’m sure.

Yeah things break. Most often what breaks with landing gear is the pilot forgetting to put it down.

Unless it’s a piston single Cessna retract. Those are the only planes that I’ve known several people have gear issues with.
 
You know for a long time I really didn't like RG airplanes but after I sold my Cherokee I started looking for a Johnson bar Mooney as a replacement. I figured if I was going to buy an RG airplane then I wanted a mechanical only system. No Motors to fail simple and robust with a good track record. I absolutely love mine!
 
frfly172 said:
RG is great when it’s working properly. The first time you have to hand crank it down isn’t so good.
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So, the second time and thereafter is better.?? ;)

The Cessna 414 (along with other retracts) has a nitrogen bottle to get the gear down.

1. Put gear handle in down position.
2. Pull gear circuit breaker.
3. Pull emergency gear handle.

All there is to it. Except the part they left out.

4. Hang on because that gear will go down and locked faster than a speeding bullet and make a loud noise when it reaches fully extended.....BABAM.!!! :lol::lol:
 
steingar said:
Color me jealous, always wanted a mite, especially a pretty one like that. I do cowboy takeoffs, as do most pilots of Johnson bar Mooneys. Speed up too much and the gear forces become difficult to manage. You don't want to climb out too slowly either, cylinders heat up.
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Have you mastered or tried the "Mooney dip" Gordon Baxter talked about where you ease off the climb just as your raise the gear? It lets the momentum help with the forces-basically flying down onto the gear. I've never flown a Mooney so I don't know how well it works, but he obviously both flew one a wrote about it...
 
steingar said:
Color me jealous, always wanted a mite, especially a pretty one like that. I do cowboy takeoffs, as do most pilots of Johnson bar Mooneys. Speed up too much and the gear forces become difficult to manage. You don't want to climb out too slowly either, cylinders heat up.
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Everything with the Mite is low force. You move the control stick with two fingers and raising the gear is very easy. Since the Mite has no electricity how does it have a gear up warning? Ingenious: vacuum valves controlling engine vacuum to a windshield wiper motor which has a flag attached instead of a wiper blade. If the gear is up at low throttle than it wig wags right in front of your face.
 
Do you guys say "positive rate; gear up" or "no more usable runway left; gear up" .. I've always favored the former, and apparently in multi's it's the only correct thing to say.

What say you?
 
Tantalum said:
Do you guys say "positive rate; gear up" or "no more usable runway left; gear up" .. I've always favored the former, and apparently in multi's it's the only correct thing to say.

What say you?
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Positive rate, gear up. You could probably say whatever you want. The positive rate call is just a trigger for you to do something.
 
Tantalum said:
I was never a big 310, or Cessna fan in general (surprise!) but the more pictures of your plane you post and the more stuff I see on YouTube the more I want it!!
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I'd rock a 310 if it made fiscal sense. Sexy looking machine!

Tantalum said:
Do you guys say "positive rate; gear up" or "no more usable runway left; gear up" .. I've always favored the former, and apparently in multi's it's the only correct thing to say.

What say you?
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I say "Damn, this thing is climbing like a pig! What the.....? Crap, gear is down..."

Lolz
 
Tantalum said:
Do you guys say "positive rate; gear up" or "no more usable runway left; gear up" .. I've always favored the former, and apparently in multi's it's the only correct thing to say.

What say you?
Click to expand...
I only have time in single engine RG so I’ve only used “no more available runway”
 
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