lml@lancaironline.net Mailing List Archive

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<--->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> << Lancair Builders' Mail List >> <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<--->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >> As a buyer not builder, myself, I have researched who can do what to my plane. The FAA regulations allow literally anyone to perform work on a homebuilt. The only licensed person who needs to be involved is at annual condition inspection time. The person who makes the annual "condition" entry in the log must either hold the repairman certificate for the particular aircraft or have an A&P license. One does, of course, have to report major modifications to the FAA, regardless of whether he is the builder or not. I hate to disagree with Bill R. who has contributed so much here, but I don't think the hydraulic cylinder adds any load to the attach block when the gear is in the down/overcenter position. The internal stop in the cylinder takes the force of the hydraulic pressure when the cylinder is fully extended. Prove this to yourself by seeing how easy it is to slightly rotate the overcenter link on its spherical joints. I believe the only significant loads on the attach block are from side pressures on the wheel. After over 420 hr. and 800 landings (not all of which were soft and straight ahead) the inner attach blocks on my plane show no sign of coming loose. Many other LNC2s also show no problem. To me this means that the original design must be nearly good enough and it only needs a little help to bring this point up to the strength standards of the rest of the airframe. I installed the phenolic brace without removing anything. The most work was sanding off the paint. I used a small piece of 1/4" phenolic to space the brace forward so it is approximately over the center of the attach block and thus a little forward of the trailing edge of the upper spar cap. The brace was trimmed to a reasonably tight fit then installed with a fillet of hysol flox around the edges. Bob Belshe N19BJ 235/320 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> LML website: http://www.olsusa.com/Users/Mkaye/maillist.html