On Thu, 08 Jan 2004 22:43:42 -0500, David O
wrote:

:
wrote:
:
:Other people use chunks of stainless or aluminum or wood. One I know,
:who's done a couple of nose landings, is putting a wheel from a roller
:blade just under the bumper so when it dies it will grind down to his
:"alternate gear system."
:
:Geez, it seems like a gear up warning system would be a better option
:for your friend. My pitot-actuated Long-EZ gear-up warning system
:saved me considerable embarrassment once. Without a gear-up warning
:system, it's not a question of if, it's a question of when. I decided
ne was mandatory for me after an airline pilot builder/flyer I knew
:landed his Long-EZ gear-up.

I absolutely agree with you on the warning system. For my bird I had
a pic chip custom programmed and a circuit board cut - the inputs
include airspeed, throttle, all three gear down and locked, canopies
both closed AND locked. I've been trying to figure out a good way to
do a squat switch for a couple of years but haven't found one. With
all three gear retracting, a gear up is both embarrassing and
expensive.

But in this case, my understanding is that both the nose landings were
the result of mechanical failure - a stripped gear, and a broken
NG3/4.