Pegasus landing gear frustration

I started my Super Bowl Sunday afternoon with a tow to 3000'. Upon release I unlocked the gear lever and pulled it back firmly. About 1 inch short of the closed-position lock and still pulling hard, I gave up and started thermalling. I learned how to fly with the gear down, I can do it again.

A half hour later and 1000' higher I gave it another try. At a half inch short, I cleared my air, tweaked the trim, let go of the stick, and tried both hands. No luck. Hating to lose, I kept pulling, and pulling and pulling. Questionable judgment, bad decision. 1600 feet later (as in lower), I gave up and locked it down again.

All of which reminded me of the difference between frustration and panic:
a.. frustration (n) The first time you can't get it up the second time.
b.. panic (n) The second time you can't get it up the first time.
The club manager gave me a good tip for getting it up the first time next time, so hopefully there won't be Pegasus Gear Panic.

-ted c. "to z or not to z" w.

Ted Wagner wrote:
I started my Super Bowl Sunday afternoon with a tow to 3000'. Upon
release I unlocked the gear lever and pulled it back firmly. About 1
inch short of the closed-position lock and still pulling hard, I gave up
and started thermalling. I learned how to fly with the gear down, I can
do it again.

A half hour later and 1000' higher I gave it another try. At a half inch
short, I cleared my air, tweaked the trim, let go of the stick, and
tried both hands. No luck. Hating to lose, I kept pulling, and pulling
and pulling. Questionable judgment, bad decision. 1600 feet later (as in
lower), I gave up and locked it down again.

All of which reminded me of the difference between frustration and panic:

* frustration (n) The first time you can't get it up the second time.
* panic (n) The second time you can't get it up the first time.

The club manager gave me a good tip for getting it up the first time
next time, so hopefully there won't be Pegasus Gear Panic.

And for real panic, imagine finally getting it up, then several hours
later as you finish the contest task, discovering whatever made it hard
to get up is now making it impossible to put back down. That happened to
me once, but fortunately, I had arrived back at the airport with enough
altitude to start the engine and motor around until I dealt with the
problem.

--
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Eric Greenwell
Washington State
USA

On Mon, 2 Feb 2004 21:22:00 -0800, "Ted Wagner"
wrote:

I started my Super Bowl Sunday afternoon with a tow to 3000'. Upon release I unlocked the gear lever and pulled it back firmly. About 1 inch short of the closed-position lock and still pulling hard, I gave up and started thermalling. I learned how to fly with the gear down, I can do it again.

Both Pegasi I've flown (101D at Williams, my club's 90) had really
nice, smooth gear operation. No particular force needed to move the
gear up or down and certainly no additional force needed to lock the
gear at either end of its travel.

I'd suggest that your one needs some TLC from a suitably qualified
airframe mechanic.


--
martin@ : Martin Gregorie
gregorie : Harlow, UK
demon :
co : Zappa fan & glider pilot
uk :

And for real panic, imagine finally getting it up, then several hours
later as you finish the contest task, discovering whatever made it hard
to get up is now making it impossible to put back down.

Yes, this is why when I fly the Pegasus I make it a point to put the gear
down no lower than 2000' MSL, to give me more time to deal with it if
necessary.

I was warned that it might be stiff in cold weather (the surface temp was
60F -- blue norther conditions for AZ), so we'll see how it is when the
weather warms up.

This weekend, if I'm lucky and the gliderport remembers my request to charge
the battery, I'll get to fly with a Real Vario for the first time...

-tw

Martin Gregorie wrote:
On Mon, 2 Feb 2004 21:22:00 -0800, "Ted Wagner"
wrote:

I started my Super Bowl Sunday afternoon with a tow to 3000'. Upon release I unlocked the gear lever and pulled it back firmly. About 1 inch short of the closed-position lock and still pulling hard, I gave up and started thermalling. I learned how to fly with the gear down, I can do it again.

Both Pegasi I've flown (101D at Williams, my club's 90) had really
nice, smooth gear operation. No particular force needed to move the
gear up or down and certainly no additional force needed to lock the
gear at either end of its travel.


I can say the same, i was member in 2 clubs having a lot of Pegase,
hence i have flown many different ones, and i have never seen a
problem such as you mention. Your glider may have a serious problem.


--

Michel TALON

In article ,
Martin Gregorie wrote:
On Mon, 2 Feb 2004 21:22:00 -0800, "Ted Wagner"
wrote:

I started my Super Bowl Sunday afternoon with a tow to 3000'. Upon release I unlocked the gear lever and pulled it back firmly. About 1 inch short of the closed-position lock and still pulling hard, I gave up and started thermalling. I learned how to fly with the gear down, I can do it again.

Both Pegasi I've flown (101D at Williams, my club's 90) had really
nice, smooth gear operation. No particular force needed to move the
gear up or down and certainly no additional force needed to lock the
gear at either end of its travel.

I'd suggest that your one needs some TLC from a suitably qualified
airframe mechanic.
--
martin@ : Martin Gregorie

One of our pilots landed gear up after trying valiantly to put the
gear down in his ASW-20. Turns out an empty water bottle
had wedged in the scissors...worked it's way back through the
empty oxygen slot...

ouch!

Mark James Boyd wrote:


One of our pilots landed gear up after trying valiantly to put the
gear down in his ASW-20. Turns out an empty water bottle
had wedged in the scissors...worked it's way back through the
empty oxygen slot...

Next time, I'll bet he will install the cover for the hole. I guess
that's why the factory makes one.
--
-----
change "netto" to "net" to email me directly

Eric Greenwell
Washington State
USA

"Ted Wagner" wrote in message .. .
I started my Super Bowl Sunday afternoon with a tow to 3000'. Upon
release I unlocked the gear lever and pulled it back firmly. About 1
inch short of the closed-position lock and still pulling hard, I gave up
and started thermalling. I learned how to fly with the gear down, I can
do it again.

A half hour later and 1000' higher I gave it another try. At a half inch
short, I cleared my air, tweaked the trim, let go of the stick, and
tried both hands. No luck. Hating to lose, I kept pulling, and pulling
and pulling. Questionable judgment, bad decision. 1600 feet later (as in
lower), I gave up and locked it down again.


Have you tried cycling the gear on the ground? [pause for grin]
Put it in a fuselage dolly and raise it above the gear extension
height and try it. Much better to do testing when you are not trying
to fly at the same time.

Also with some gliders if the gear weight is the problem you can push
forward on the stick while to reduce the g-loading to less than 1 g.
But it sounds like yours has a mechanical problem that won't be much
helped by anything except a repair.

Chris