| Ralf,
If you do this, please don't tell my insurance company, the ntsb, nor allow your surviving relations to make any reports. After all, isn't a good set of jacks about one hamburger's worth of fuel?
thanks,
Colyn On Jun 12, 2013, at 9:35 AM, Jack Morgan wrote: Hi Ralf, I have often done this and see no problem. I hang a "box of rocks" (Lancair part number 120099008-00-a.... just kidding) from the tail tie down. Just add large rocks until the airplane sits back on the box (over 100 lbs of rocks). I then have a friend blow gently into the pitot to release the gear lever and move it part way. Turn the master off or pull the pump breaker and move the gear lever to full down if you have the standard hydraulic reservoir. There is not enough capacity with the standard reservoir to put significant pressure on the main cylinders. You can cycle the nose gear up and down without moving the gear lever all the way up to lock it. I suggest using the master to control the hydraulic pump since repeated cycling of the pump breaker will eventually fail it.
If you have the large reservoir, discharge it by moving the gear lever partially up and down until it is depleted and then use the pump as above.
With the weight of the rocks and the airplane there is considerable weight on the mains. I believe this set up is preferable to lifting the nose as it gives extra insurance that the mains can't move. I have never let the full hydraulic pressure come up so don't know if the mains can actually lift the airplane and collapse. Perhaps others have experience here and can comment. It is easy to partially retract the nose by cycling the master and therefore the pump. You can then manually move the nose gear up to check the door clearance and closure. Release one door so you can see what is going on with the other door when moving the wheel up into the tunnel.
Hope this helps.
Jack Morgan
On Jun 12, 2013, at 6:00 AM, Lancair Mailing List wrote: Subject: Nose gear check 4P
Date: June 11, 2013 10:30:07 AM EDT
Dear subscribers,
A friend took a picture of the belly of my airplane in flight with the
gear up. It looked to me that the nose gear door was not completely
closed. I had that issue before on the ground before and adjusting the
threaded rods fixed it.
I am reluctant of putting the airplane on jacks and do a complete gear
check because my jack up equipment is not perfect and it is a major
undertaking to get the airplane that high.
Someone told me (unfortunately I don't remember who) that I can leave
the plane on the main gear and just use a hoist with ropes around the
prop and lift the nose gear of the ground and then move the gear switch
up (after unlocking it).
The hydraulic pressure is not high enough to move the mains but it will
move the nose gear. Is this an ok procedure to use? Do I need to remove
the spinner if I wrap a rope around the 2 blades of my 3 blade prop?
Thanks for your input
Ralf
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