Backup for dropping the gear

Peter,

You have got to expand your horizons g. In a number of the Piper
singles the gear does come down if the engine takes the day off. The
automatic extension system, if not disconnected or overridden, will
extend the gear if the engine quits. It's why I override the system
on takeoff as I have no burning desire for the gear to extend should
the engine quit.

It's also a fun system when you are descending at high speed through a
layer of stratus clouds full of rime ice and the pitot heat decides
that it doesn't want to heat the little pitot tube on the left side of
the fuselage that provides the input for the automatic gear system, it
freezes up and extends the gear suddenly when you are whistling along
in the yellow arc. Doesn't do anything to improve your outlook on
life at all.

All the best,
Rick

"Peter Duniho" wrote in message ...
"Kyler Laird" wrote in message
...
(Paul Tomblin) writes:

The P32R Lance that I'm currently checking out in uses hydraulic pressure
to hold the gear *up* against springs and gravity - lose the hydraulic
pressure and the gear goes down.

Cool! So if you lose your engine the plane helps you get back to the
ground quickly by extending the air brakes? Is there an override (for
those who fly over inhospitable terrain/water)?

The hydraulic pressure is probably provided by an electric pump (I don't
know for sure, not being familiar with that specific airplane).
Furthermore, loss of pressure should only happen if there's a leak in the
system somewhere; theoretically, once the system has pressurized with the
gear up, the hydraulic pump wouldn't need to operate at all. Even if there
was a slightly leaky o-ring or valve somewhere, requiring the occasional
operation of the pump, it seems likely that the battery could handle the
load for the brief period of time it would take to glide to a landing.

Bottom line: there's no reason an engine failure would cause the gear to
extend.

Is there a placard that says "Do not lose engine power in excess of max.
gear extension speed."?

There would be no need for such a placard.

Pete