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#1
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Gear Trouble
Flyers, This is just a quick flying story some might be interested it. My plane ('71 Cardinal RG) just came out of annual with a newly over-hauled prop and hub. The mechanic and I test flew the plane around the pattern. The goal was to check the gear horn because it was going off constantly even with full throttle just prior to the annual. Everything was fine and the gear horn went off appropriately at about 14 or 15 inches MP. We put the gear down and landed. All was normal and I congratulated him for a job well done. Not only for the annual and gear horn, but because he also fixed a very bad main gear shimmy that we've had since we purchased the plane in 2002 [but I digress and I'll discuss this in separate post] The first flight after that I took the plane to Cape May, NJ (WWD) for dinner with my wife. After take-off I leveled the plane and as I reduced the MP past 25 inches the gear horn sounded. I applied full throttle and it continued it's serenade for the next 30 minutes despite all attempts to quell its false protest. On approach I lowered the gear thankful that at last I would silence that gear horn's annoying, useless barking. I noticed that after a respectable amount of time the gear horn did not silence and upon inspection I observed the following: 1) I had no Green Light 2) The gear light bulb tested good 3) The pilot-side main gear looked fully extended 4) My wife stated that her gear looked to be in the normal position 5) The amp meter was pegged to the left showing a discharge 6) I did not recall the usual "CLICK / SNAP / THUMP" I am used to hearing and feeling in the floor boards just prior the green light coming on I went around, put the gear up, climbed out to 3000 feet and set the autopilot. I cycled the gear twice and no joy. I tried to hand pump it down and nothing. I slowed the plane to near stall and tried to lower the gear, but the horn remained vocally upset and the green light rebellious. I asked my wife if she could see the nose wheel in the gear mirror. She said, "Yea, I see it." I asked if it looked fully extended and slightly pointed toward the front and she said, "No...it looks like it's bent back toward the rear." [hair on neck stands up] I called down to the Unicom at Cape May's Big Sky Aviation and asked if I could do a fly-by "because I don't have a gear down light". On the fly-by I realized that whoever was watching the approach didn't fully understand what I was asking for and what my problem was. He radios me and states, "Yea you're right. I don't see a light on your gear either." I guess I got exactly what I asked for there. I shook my head and asked if my nose gear look to be down and straight. He gave a tentative, "Ah, yea it looked down." I came back around and did all my pre-landing checks. The gear horn was going off and I still didn't have a green gear light. I cinched up my belts and I told me wife to do the same and to crack her door. I couldn't believe how calm she was. She showed no signs of nervousness or hesitancy. She trusted me completely.hmmm.well anyway she's a keeper! I put in full flaps, did a power on landing and set down as soft, slow and careful as I could. The mains indeed touched down tenderly and I kept the nose wheel off as long as possible. It wasn't until this point that I suddenly remembered that I have a newly over-hauled prop on it's maiden voyage. How ironic! For a moment I entertained the idea of shutting down the engine to protect it and engine and quickly realized that that would do no good at all...or at least it wouldn't halt a tear down inspection (3 blade prop). I swear it took a lifetime as the nose lowered and I remained keenly aware of every inch it dropped. I continually repeated, "come on, come on, come on, come on!" I begged for that satisfying "falump" of the nose gear solidly touching down. I also was comparing in my memory what was a normal nose attitude at touch down and at what point it would become painfully obvious that the nose was too low and a prop strike was unavoidable. Just as the nose wheel touched down the gear horn muted, the green gear light came on and the amp meter was back to showing a healthy charge. [BIG SIGH . WIPE SWEAT OFF MY FOREHEAD AND WALLET] I couldn't reach my mechanic all night and after dinner I was telling my wife that we should get a hotel for the night until I could talk to my A&P or the mechanics at Big Sky Aviation. She just looked at me stoically and asked, "Why don't we just fly home with the gear down?" [face turns red] "Ah...yea...I was just about to recommend that." Kobra |
#2
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Gear Trouble
On the fly-by I realized that whoever was watching the approach didn't
fully understand what I was asking for and what my problem was. He radios me and states, "Yea you're right. I don't see a light on your gear either." I guess I got exactly what I asked for there. Thanks for the great story! That paragraph almost cost me my coffee/laptop/nose... Glad it ended well. -- Jay Honeck Iowa City, IA Pathfinder N56993 www.AlexisParkInn.com "Your Aviation Destination" |
#3
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Gear Trouble
You're right.... she's a keeper! Great story...
I can't remember too much about the electrical/gear system on the 182RG we used to fly... does the gear down limit switch turn off the pump? if that switch is out of position or bad and the pump continues to run, is there an over pressure bypass? wondering why the amp meter was pegged... stuck bypass valve? where is the throttle/gear horn switch? Glad you made it down ok and saved that new prop! Jim |
#4
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Gear Trouble
Jim Burns wrote:
You're right.... she's a keeper! Great story... I can't remember too much about the electrical/gear system on the 182RG we used to fly... does the gear down limit switch turn off the pump? if that switch is out of position or bad and the pump continues to run, is there an over pressure bypass? wondering why the amp meter was pegged... stuck bypass valve? where is the throttle/gear horn switch? Glad you made it down ok and saved that new prop! I've got a manual for the 1977 C-210, which is closely related to the C-182RG. Assuming it shares the same clamshell gear doors, there's a pressure switch in the door closing mechanism which shuts off the hydraulic pump. The hydraulic pump is electrically operated. If the pump continues to run, you are cautioned to pull the hydraulic pump circuit breaker. I assume that wasn't done, which is why the ammeter was showing a discharge... the pump was still energized. -- Mortimer Schnerd, RN mschnerdatcarolina.rr.com |
#5
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Gear Trouble
On May 27, 8:06*pm, "Kobra" wrote:
I couldn't reach my mechanic all night and after dinner I was telling my wife that we should get a hotel for the night until I could talk to my A&P or the mechanics at Big Sky Aviation. *She just looked at me stoically and asked, "Why don't we just fly home with the gear down?" If you do you might see if you can get a gear lock installed. I've seen them in the Mooney world. Its a physical thing that attaches to the gear and holds it in the locked position (usually to roll it around when the gear is not assembled). In anycase, you'll want to have an A&P at least visually check that the gear is fully locked before you try a gear down flight. Also, expect high CHTs. -Robert |
#6
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Gear Trouble
Only a set of nose gear doors on the 182RG, but I remember switches in the
main gear wells and your description matches my faulty memory. I've got a POH at home, but I'm wondering if it's too separate problems, one with the gear up limit switch(s) and one with the throttle gear/horn switch. Jim "Mortimer Schnerd, RN" mschnerdatcarolina.rr.com wrote in message ... Jim Burns wrote: You're right.... she's a keeper! Great story... I can't remember too much about the electrical/gear system on the 182RG we used to fly... does the gear down limit switch turn off the pump? if that switch is out of position or bad and the pump continues to run, is there an over pressure bypass? wondering why the amp meter was pegged... stuck bypass valve? where is the throttle/gear horn switch? Glad you made it down ok and saved that new prop! I've got a manual for the 1977 C-210, which is closely related to the C-182RG. Assuming it shares the same clamshell gear doors, there's a pressure switch in the door closing mechanism which shuts off the hydraulic pump. The hydraulic pump is electrically operated. If the pump continues to run, you are cautioned to pull the hydraulic pump circuit breaker. I assume that wasn't done, which is why the ammeter was showing a discharge... the pump was still energized. -- Mortimer Schnerd, RN mschnerdatcarolina.rr.com |
#7
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Gear Trouble
On May 28, 10:59 am, "Jim Burns" wrote:
Only a set of nose gear doors on the 182RG, but I remember switches in the main gear wells and your description matches my faulty memory. I've got a POH at home, but I'm wondering if it's too separate problems, one with the gear up limit switch(s) and one with the throttle gear/horn switch. Jim "Mortimer Schnerd, RN" mschnerdatcarolina.rr.com wrote in messagenews:KaadnW9IWMkoFqDVnZ2dnUVZ_sDinZ2d@gigan ews.com... Jim Burns wrote: You're right.... she's a keeper! Great story... I can't remember too much about the electrical/gear system on the 182RG we used to fly... does the gear down limit switch turn off the pump? if that switch is out of position or bad and the pump continues to run, is there an over pressure bypass? wondering why the amp meter was pegged... stuck bypass valve? where is the throttle/gear horn switch? Glad you made it down ok and saved that new prop! I've got a manual for the 1977 C-210, which is closely related to the C-182RG. Assuming it shares the same clamshell gear doors, there's a pressure switch in the door closing mechanism which shuts off the hydraulic pump. The hydraulic pump is electrically operated. If the pump continues to run, you are cautioned to pull the hydraulic pump circuit breaker. I assume that wasn't done, which is why the ammeter was showing a discharge... the pump was still energized. -- Mortimer Schnerd, RN mschnerdatcarolina.rr.com The 182RG (R182) should be similar to the 177RG. We have the R182, and the pump has a pressure switch that shuts off around 1600 psi. There are two relief valves in the system, one that relieves the electric pump at 1800 psi and the one that relieves the manual pump at 2200. Both valves and the pressure switch are supposed to get checked at the 100-hour inspections, as does the gear swing ("Five fault-free cycles," as Cessna puts it). This requires jacking the airplane to a ridiculous and scary height, so a lot of mechanics won't do it. The gear warning horn has two switches: One in the flap mechanism and the other on the carb, operated by a cam on the throttle shaft. The horn will sound if the throttle is reduced below a certain point or if the flaps are lowered below 23 degrees. The flap switch will make sure the horn sounds even if the throttle is in all the way. The green light system is wired to stop the horn when it fires. (Or you could turn off the master.) The gear-down light is operated by three microswitches, one for each leg, wired in series. The yellow gear-up light is wired to three others. The gear-down switch on the nosegear is actuated by the downlock mechanism, and so the nosegear must be down and locked for the circuit to close. The mains don't absolutely have to be locked for their switches to close, since they're not going anywhere after weight is on them anyway. The OP's complaint, as I think about it, is probably due to the nosegear's switch not closing because the hydraulic cylinder wasn't pulling hard enough to yank the lock into place. It wasn't pulling hard enough because it is bypassing fluid internally, making the system pressure low and keeping the pump running. The hydraulic systems is supposed to be overhauled every five years to replace the rubber bits that do this, but guess how many of them are within THAT limit? There's another R182 on the field here that has had that same bypassing problem. Fixed, now. So, as I see it, that OP's nosegear downlock was not locked (and its switch not closed) until the vibration of the wheel touching down shook the hydraulics a bit and made the piston seal finally catch and bring the pressure up, pulling the lock into place. He is SO lucky, especially considering that he flew the thing home again with no guarantee that the system would hold pressure to keep that lock from jumping out. And that's why the Regs require grounding an airplane when a defect is present. Dan There's a squat switch on the nosewheel scissors that prevents pump operation if the leg is extended. |
#8
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Gear Trouble
Besides high CHTs, (and depending on where your antenna is) your
transponder operation may not be normal. I did a 200 mile gear down ferry flight years ago, with ATC complaining that my TXPR was inop. "Robert M. Gary" wrote in message ... On May 27, 8:06 pm, "Kobra" wrote: I couldn't reach my mechanic all night and after dinner I was telling my wife that we should get a hotel for the night until I could talk to my A&P or the mechanics at Big Sky Aviation. She just looked at me stoically and asked, "Why don't we just fly home with the gear down?" If you do you might see if you can get a gear lock installed. I've seen them in the Mooney world. Its a physical thing that attaches to the gear and holds it in the locked position (usually to roll it around when the gear is not assembled). In anycase, you'll want to have an A&P at least visually check that the gear is fully locked before you try a gear down flight. Also, expect high CHTs. -Robert |
#9
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Gear Trouble
Thanks! That's what I was hoping somebody would post! BTW, my incorrect
usage of "182RG" was intentional. Most people do not know that the airplane is truly designated the R182. Jim wrote in message ... On May 28, 10:59 am, "Jim Burns" wrote: Only a set of nose gear doors on the 182RG, but I remember switches in the main gear wells and your description matches my faulty memory. I've got a POH at home, but I'm wondering if it's too separate problems, one with the gear up limit switch(s) and one with the throttle gear/horn switch. Jim "Mortimer Schnerd, RN" mschnerdatcarolina.rr.com wrote in messagenews:KaadnW9IWMkoFqDVnZ2dnUVZ_sDinZ2d@gigan ews.com... Jim Burns wrote: You're right.... she's a keeper! Great story... I can't remember too much about the electrical/gear system on the 182RG we used to fly... does the gear down limit switch turn off the pump? if that switch is out of position or bad and the pump continues to run, is there an over pressure bypass? wondering why the amp meter was pegged... stuck bypass valve? where is the throttle/gear horn switch? Glad you made it down ok and saved that new prop! I've got a manual for the 1977 C-210, which is closely related to the C-182RG. Assuming it shares the same clamshell gear doors, there's a pressure switch in the door closing mechanism which shuts off the hydraulic pump. The hydraulic pump is electrically operated. If the pump continues to run, you are cautioned to pull the hydraulic pump circuit breaker. I assume that wasn't done, which is why the ammeter was showing a discharge... the pump was still energized. -- Mortimer Schnerd, RN mschnerdatcarolina.rr.com The 182RG (R182) should be similar to the 177RG. We have the R182, and the pump has a pressure switch that shuts off around 1600 psi. There are two relief valves in the system, one that relieves the electric pump at 1800 psi and the one that relieves the manual pump at 2200. Both valves and the pressure switch are supposed to get checked at the 100-hour inspections, as does the gear swing ("Five fault-free cycles," as Cessna puts it). This requires jacking the airplane to a ridiculous and scary height, so a lot of mechanics won't do it. The gear warning horn has two switches: One in the flap mechanism and the other on the carb, operated by a cam on the throttle shaft. The horn will sound if the throttle is reduced below a certain point or if the flaps are lowered below 23 degrees. The flap switch will make sure the horn sounds even if the throttle is in all the way. The green light system is wired to stop the horn when it fires. (Or you could turn off the master.) The gear-down light is operated by three microswitches, one for each leg, wired in series. The yellow gear-up light is wired to three others. The gear-down switch on the nosegear is actuated by the downlock mechanism, and so the nosegear must be down and locked for the circuit to close. The mains don't absolutely have to be locked for their switches to close, since they're not going anywhere after weight is on them anyway. The OP's complaint, as I think about it, is probably due to the nosegear's switch not closing because the hydraulic cylinder wasn't pulling hard enough to yank the lock into place. It wasn't pulling hard enough because it is bypassing fluid internally, making the system pressure low and keeping the pump running. The hydraulic systems is supposed to be overhauled every five years to replace the rubber bits that do this, but guess how many of them are within THAT limit? There's another R182 on the field here that has had that same bypassing problem. Fixed, now. So, as I see it, that OP's nosegear downlock was not locked (and its switch not closed) until the vibration of the wheel touching down shook the hydraulics a bit and made the piston seal finally catch and bring the pressure up, pulling the lock into place. He is SO lucky, especially considering that he flew the thing home again with no guarantee that the system would hold pressure to keep that lock from jumping out. And that's why the Regs require grounding an airplane when a defect is present. Dan There's a squat switch on the nosewheel scissors that prevents pump operation if the leg is extended. |
#10
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Gear Trouble
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