Really sorry to hear about the crash.
I can really identify with how you must fee, I had an undercarriage leg fail
about a month ago resulting all the gear being ripped off and a slide into
the mid field of the airport of 214 metres ( measured by the authorities ) .
Thank goodness we are in drought conditions as the dirt was like sliding on
ice, scary but not a scratch on pilot or passenger.  Pics attached.

Baz Mayne  ( Cobra Arrow ) down under

Dang Baz that was cute airplane. I think we need to do
an article on landing gear design :)

> Paul Lamar


Hi Baz,

Glad no one was injured.  You have a better excuse than I do. :)
Seeing your picture definitely means more to me that it would have a
week ago.  Skidding was good.  I ripped off a gear leg when it dug in,
then the nose dug in.  Stopping distance was probably about 40 feet
with a 120 deg rotation.  When I was working on my seats, the passenger
shoulder harness seemed to lock up a lot easier than the pilot one
did.  I wasn't sure the pilot one was working.  I have a light bruise
across my shoulder and chest to attest to it's proper functionality.  I
didn't see that one for 2 or 3 days.

Bob W.

-- 
N93BD - Rotary Powered BD-4 - http://www.bob-white.com
First Flight:  11/23/2006 7:50AM - 3.8 Hours Total Time
Cables for your rotary installation - http://www.roblinphoto.com/shop/

G'day Bob,
Yeah, I was lucky the rest of the gear departed early and just left it to
slide. Apart from the gear legs there is very little structural damage, in
fact the engine bay escaped virtually unscathed ( except for prop and
necessary strip down of PRSU ). Lots of cosmetic stuff like wing tips,
ailerons scrapped etc but not a lot. With only 42 hours on the clock I did
feel a little sad.

The funny side of the event was that I had the CFI on board doing my Bi
Annual Flight review.  He passed me saying" you handled the emergency
beautifully".  Funny, he doesn't seem keen to fly with me again !!

Should be airborne again in about 2 months I reckon.

Baz

Lotus race car engineers wrote a book in 1965 on the loads
a race car suspension and chassis were subjected to. I have it at the
hangar I think. I was my handbook when I designed race cars back
in the late 1960's.

http://www.amazon.com/Racing-Sports-Car-Chassis-Design/dp/0837602963
The used book is going for $389 on the Internet.

As I recall they figured 4.5 G's both lateral and fore and aft.
Many aircraft engineers ignore this and just design for 4.5 G vertical
loads. That is wrong. It is the side loads on the landing gear that
inevitably cause them to collapse. Particularly on tail dragger's.

Paul Lamar ...No rotor no motor.

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