fixed gear vs. retracts

[GeorgeF.]

At 08:04 AM 7/21/2003 -0700, you wrote:
>I never claimed to be the best pilot out there, but in the five or six 
>years I have been  flying pattern with an LA-1, PA-2, an SL-1, a Bridi 
>Great Escape, Bridi XLT, a 60 sized Conquest VII, Saphir II, and an 
>Eppicure II, all with retracts! I have had to remove and straighten the 
>struts exactly twice and both times have been on hard dead stick landings 
>while practicing! Either I am using some exceptionally tough metal only 
>found in the great state of Ohio, or the whole retract maintenance issue 
>is overblown. I am not arguing the fact that some people can and do have 
>problems with bent struts, but other than a little extra time to make sure 
>they are set up to rotate lock and clear properly I have NOT experienced 
>much failure with them, and NEVER once at a contest. I've had headers, 
>couplers, servos, engine, and thumbs fail at contests, but (knock on wood) 
>never my retracts. In fact, I have seen many more sets of fixed gear get 
>sheared off at contests than retracts fail. Perhaps I just don't get out 
>enough.


Same here, when was activity flying pattern in Pennsylvania (NSRCA D1) we 
must also had the special metel too.  NEVER did I have to rebend a great, 
NEVER did I have a retract fail in a contest or practicing.

Thank God for that special OH/PA grade of metal!

George


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