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Good days and bad days


Waiter

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HI Waiter,

 

I've just found this thread and am sorry to hear of your misfortune.

 

Regarding steel tubes I would be interested in a set for my Cozy.

 

Regarding how you secured the upper pin with the AN-3 I'm would be concerned that you will cause wear to the press fit end (on the backing plate) as the gear is operated. Since you have secured the outer point the pin will slide in and out of the backing plate as the L bracket flexes. When I did mine I drilled a coaxial hole through the centre of the pin and used a bolt through the length of the pin. I have a large washer on the outer end to secure the L bracket and have a nutplate inside the spar box to react against. In fact I have a large aluminium plate inside the spar box that covers the full area of the inboard four securing bolts and an additional three for the L bracket. Nut plates are used on all seven bolts.

 

I can provide photograph if any one needs it.

 

Regards,

 

Phillip Johnson

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Waiter , just a thought, check the inner tube for cracks or if it is flexing it may have been the reason the pin broke. if the strut outer tube is allowed to rotate then there would be a twisting load on the pin. we believe that may have been why one of ours failed. it was only a few flights after our pin failed that the cracked inner tube was discovered.

Interesting how after you had this failure, all the different fixes for other problems with this gear have come to light. everyone that we have talked to that has this gear has had different problems. I think I have heard a failure story about every part in the system now. the "L" bracket flexing, thats a new one I have not heard of before. hopefully the new models will have all these issues resolved, if there is ever a new model that gets delivered to a customer, maybe we will know. does anyone even own and fly this mystery new model gear? has any one even seen this new improved model? or is it still 5 year from delivery and why was it the old models needed to be improved? I thought they all were working just fine and did not need any improvements.

Evolultion Eze RG -a two place side by side-200 Knots on 200 HP. A&P / pilot for over 30 years

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Interesting how after you had this failure, all the different fixes for other problems with this gear have come to light. everyone that we have talked to that has this gear has had different problems.

 

Did all those people you talked to have the same set (i.e. various owners of the same plane.)

I think I have heard a failure story about every part in the system now. the "L" bracket flexing, thats a new one I have not heard of before.

 

Yeah ... and I've heard that you heard somone say that they heard.....

hopefully the new models will have all these issues resolved, if there is ever a new model that gets delivered to a customer, maybe we will know.

does anyone even own and fly this mystery new model gear?

 

You don't have a set on order ..... so why do you care.

has any one even seen this new improved model? or is it still 5 year from delivery and why was it the old models needed to be improved?

 

Another "mouse in a lunchbox post."

I thought they all were working just fine and did not need any improvements.

I'll say it again Lynn, why don't you start your own thread.

Most of us on this thread are problem solvers.

90% of what you post on the subject is only part of the story. You fail to mention the

  • improper installation of the electronics and wiring
  • failure to activate the gear ONLY after installation was completed
  • builder modifications to the gear to "make it better."
  • Improper (or incomplete) CS Spar construction Ii.e. missing bulkheads, etc)
And that's just the gear set you are familiar with ..... prior to

  • running the plane into a saltwater pond,
  • pulling it out with chains wrapped around the gear legs.
  • Crashing it into a truck and a ditch.
Either tell the entire story or start a career in politics.

 

Oh.... while we are at it, how many canard have been lost or damaged

 

  • during crosswind landings using standard gear.
  • Or have had the gear collapse at the axel because the brakes got too hot.
  • or just lost due to poor ground handling.
The P-51 has the same gear configuration as the Infinity.

The ME-109 had the gear mounted to the fuse resulting in a narrow stance. The ground handling of the 109 resulted in almost as many losses as were lost in air combat.

T Mann - Loooong-EZ/20B Infinity R/G Chpts 18

Velocity/RG N951TM

Mann's Airplane Factory

We add rocket's to everything!

4, 5, 6, 7, 8. 9, 10, 14, 19, 20 Done

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As far as I can tell from my research, there are no patents on any of these gear components. Anyone who wants to should be able to modify and manufacture more reliable components, with more reasonable delivery times.

 

If anyone is aware of any Patents, please let me know...

If you want to find out ..... give it a shot.

 

That is a major issue these days. Someone comes up with a good Idea/design and folks think they can steal it. What happened to your ethics to even suggest it.

 

I spent a good portion of the last two years flying back and forth to Chicago to defend patent#6,784,873 so I've seen first hand how some of the large companies try to squash the thinkers, problem solvers and inventors.

 

To those who infringe and steal ..... may they get their just reward.

T Mann - Loooong-EZ/20B Infinity R/G Chpts 18

Velocity/RG N951TM

Mann's Airplane Factory

We add rocket's to everything!

4, 5, 6, 7, 8. 9, 10, 14, 19, 20 Done

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If you want to find out ..... give it a shot.

 

That is a major issue these days. Someone comes up with a good Idea/design and folks think they can steal it. What happened to your ethics to even suggest it.

There's nothing wrong with my ethics, to suggest that maybe best option would be for someone to improve this unsafe (and out-of-production) design and restore it to a flightworthy condition.

 

The bottom line is that no one is actually delivering new, improved gear designs, and the existing ones contain components that are unsafe. The designer isn't improving it, so who will?

 

To those who infringe and steal ..... may they get their just reward.

You might want to research where the original design came from.... hint look at other light aircraft landing gear from the early '80s.

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You don't have a set on order ..... so why do you care.

 

Perhaps Lynns motivation for expressing his concerns are not as selfish as you assume. I would presume he cares about other builders safety and success in there building and flying efforts.

 

Lynn is expressing some conserns about this system and I can't thnk of any reason why we should be ignore his concerns.

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Most of us on this thread are problem solvers.

90% of what you post on the subject is only part of the story.

I welcome you to fill me in with your first hand knowledge of that plane and its condition when we bought it. I could have forgotten some of the problems we had with this gear as there were so many. maybe with your vast knowledge, building and flight experience of canard aircraft with retracts you should start your own thread. then we all will benefit from your trouble shooting ability on this troublesome and un-tested product.

Evolultion Eze RG -a two place side by side-200 Knots on 200 HP. A&P / pilot for over 30 years

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Perhaps Lynns motivation for expressing his concerns are not as selfish as you assume.

I'm not saying Lynn's motivation is selfish, I'm saying it's not objective. The key phrase that sets him off like this isn't 'retractable gear' it's more like 'JD'.

If you follow his rant it has a central theme beit retracts, stick grips, Infinity One, yada yada yada.

He's not an engineer and his suggested fixes could impose a real danger to some builder who assumes he is some sort of subject matter expert. He is not and as such his speculation could result in a fatality someday.

There has not been one person that has received less than excellent support from Infinity with their products. Ask THEM!

 

I welcome you to fill me in with your first hand knowledge of that plane and its condition when we bought it.

I would prefer that YOU did that Lynn. You always seem to leave that part out.

Add to that the history of the same plane and construction problems of the ORIGINAL builder. It seems to me that the plane had been wrecked a couple times before it changed hands.

...... and how did it end up in the water?

T Mann - Loooong-EZ/20B Infinity R/G Chpts 18

Velocity/RG N951TM

Mann's Airplane Factory

We add rocket's to everything!

4, 5, 6, 7, 8. 9, 10, 14, 19, 20 Done

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TMann -- why don't you just admit that you are in fact, JD Newman?

:D No .... but we do share the same set of Midwestern values. Maybe that's it. Why as a matter of fact, when were sitting next to each other, people can't tell us apart!

T Mann - Loooong-EZ/20B Infinity R/G Chpts 18

Velocity/RG N951TM

Mann's Airplane Factory

We add rocket's to everything!

4, 5, 6, 7, 8. 9, 10, 14, 19, 20 Done

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