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Date: Sat, 16 Apr 2011 20:24:29 -0400
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Reply-To: louis@gabriels.us
Subject: 360 carbon/racing gear doors
From: Louis Gabriel <louis@gabriels.us>
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First, thanks for being such a great community--I'm brand new to both
general aviation and the Lancair game, and I have never encountered a more
patient and willing-to-answer-dumb-questions bunch.  I was hoping you might
oblige me once more:

I am a new owner of a Lancair 360 Mk II with outback gear...and I've been
plagued with gear door problems.  None of these are new or unsolved, but
almost every piece of advice on the LML and otherwise (namely n91cz.com)
suggests the solution is a set of three-piece, carbon fiber gear doors.

Where do they come from?  How do I get a set?

For some (perhaps unnecessary) background, here are the problems I'm having:
1. Inner gear door flutter.  When the gear is extended, the inner gear doors
move around quite a bit in the prop wash (wearing out the hinge pin).  I've
mostly solved this by replacing the flimsy aluminum hinge with stainless
steel, but I still have some qualms about the permanence of my solution.

2. High speed buffet.  I've found that the trailing edge of my left inner
gear door does not hold very effectively against either the airframe or the
outer door, which above about 180 kts will occasionally start to buffet and
buzz rather alarmingly.  After determining this noise was not the imminent
end of my flying career, I found slowing down, cycling the gear (just enough
to reseat the inner doors), then speeding back up solved my problem.  Upon
swinging the gear, it's apparent the trailing edge of the inner gear door is
the issue.

3. Drag.  Even on the jack stands, there is quite a bit of undercarriage
material in the otherwise undisturbed slipstream.

Here are my thoughts on potential solutions:
1. To solve the inner gear door flutter issue, I should first minimize the
amount of inner gear door I have.  The three-piece carbon set does just
that, according to my understanding.  I'd like to start there.  Second, I
can fiddle around with the hinge system further, but what I would REALLY
like to do is sequence the doors to close after the gear is down.  I plan on
doing instrument work--it would be nice to be able to drag the gear whenever
I want without thinking about the doors.  Has anyone experimented with this?

2. For the rest of my problems, stiffer, smaller, better-designed doors are
the answer.  My only hurdle is acquiring them--and that's where I'm hoping
for your help.

Thanks for your time, and I really appreciate your help.  I'm glad to be
part of the community!

Louis Gabriel
N61GH, KCVN

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First, thanks for being such a great community--I&#39;m brand new to both g=
eneral aviation and the Lancair game, and I have never encountered a more p=
atient and willing-to-answer-dumb-questions bunch.=A0 I was hoping you migh=
t oblige me once more:<br>
<br>I am a new owner of a Lancair 360 Mk II with outback gear...and I&#39;v=
e been plagued with gear door problems.=A0 None of these are new or unsolve=
d, but almost every piece of advice on the LML and otherwise (namely <a hre=
f=3D"http://n91cz.com">n91cz.com</a>) suggests the solution is a set of thr=
ee-piece, carbon fiber gear doors.<br>
<br>Where do they come from?=A0 How do I get a set?<br><br>For some (perhap=
s unnecessary) background, here are the problems I&#39;m having:<br>1. Inne=
r gear door flutter.=A0 When the gear is extended, the inner gear doors mov=
e around quite a bit in the prop wash (wearing out the hinge pin).=A0 I&#39=
;ve mostly solved this by replacing the flimsy aluminum hinge with stainles=
s steel, but I still have some qualms about the permanence of my solution.<=
br>
<br>2. High speed buffet.=A0 I&#39;ve found that the trailing edge of my le=
ft inner gear door does not hold very effectively against either the airfra=
me or the outer door, which above about 180 kts will occasionally start to =
buffet and buzz rather alarmingly.=A0 After determining this noise was not =
the imminent end of my flying career, I found slowing down, cycling the gea=
r (just enough to reseat the inner doors), then speeding back up solved my =
problem.=A0 Upon swinging the gear, it&#39;s apparent the trailing edge of =
the inner gear door is the issue.<br>
<br>3. Drag.=A0 Even on the jack stands, there is quite a bit of undercarri=
age material in the otherwise undisturbed slipstream.<br><br>Here are my th=
oughts on potential solutions:<br>1. To solve the inner gear door flutter i=
ssue, I should first minimize the amount of inner gear door I have.=A0 The =
three-piece carbon set does just that, according to my understanding.=A0 I&=
#39;d like to start there.=A0 Second, I can fiddle around with the hinge sy=
stem further, but what I would REALLY like to do is sequence the doors to c=
lose after the gear is down.=A0 I plan on doing instrument work--it would b=
e nice to be able to drag the gear whenever I want without thinking about t=
he doors.=A0 Has anyone experimented with this?<br>
<br>2. For the rest of my problems, stiffer, smaller, better-designed doors=
 are the answer.=A0 My only hurdle is acquiring them--and that&#39;s where =
I&#39;m hoping for your help.<br><br>Thanks for your time, and I really app=
reciate your help.=A0 I&#39;m glad to be part of the community!<br>
<br>Louis Gabriel<br>N61GH, KCVN<br>

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