Mailing List lml@lancaironline.net Message #8493
From: <CasaDeHate@aol.com>
Subject: Lancair Brake failure
Date: Mon, 12 Feb 2001 08:09:26 EST
To: <lancair.list@olsusa.com>
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If your training did not discuss or at least pose the possibility, then think
about it now, and the next time you go fly practice the loss of one side or
the other.  I've had brake failure's on both the IV and 360, and did no
damage to either.

I don't care if you put the most expensive brake lines you can find in the
airplane , "Murphy's law" says that if something can go wrong it will.    
That understood, consider that I teach that once the airplane is firmly on
the runway, reach up and test the brakes to make sure you still have some,
and if not add power and go around.  
One owner had a "slight" brake fluid leak in the cabin, and thought nothing
of it until landing at Santa Paula and running into a dirt hill to stop the
airplane, costing them a prop and a little pride.  The problem was that when
they pressurized the cabin, the pressure went through that "slight" leak and
pushed all the fluid into the reservoir and eventually overboard through the
vent.  I think Murphy was riding along on that flight.

Anyway, if you determine that you have a bad brake sometimes pumping them
will restore enough force to stop you, if not, once airborne again try the
brakes from the co-pilot side since the fluid goes from the pilot to co-pilot
side before the wheel cyl's.  If you're unable to muster up any stopping
power go find the widest runway you can, and hopefully one with a stiff
crosswind.  We have plenty of rudder authority down to about a fast trot so
logic says land with the crosswind on the side of the dead brake and use the
upwind rudder authority and downwind brake to keep alignment, and eventually
stopping you on the runway.  Try it, it works..

How many of you have heared me preach "centerline" and "taxi only as fast as
you want to leave the taxiway", because if you lose a brake taxiing, you're
in for a ride on the wild side.  Oh yeah, neither of my brake failures had
anything to do with the nylaflow tubing.

Mike


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