Tips for latching manual gear?

[urbanti]

Am working on my Johnson Bar technique in a manual gear M20E.

Finding it tricky to unlatch and latch the bar in the up & down positions.

Looking for very, very detailed description of what others do to obtain "2-finger" gear movement.

I.E., with gear locked wheels down, do you depress button with right thumb and then pull bar sleeve straight down?

Is it necessary to "unload" the friction of the sleeve inside the latching receptacle by twisting the sleeve or pushing the bar slightly forward before you pull the sleeve down?

Then when the bar is on it's way down, how do you keep it from bouncing off the floor, and do you twist the sleeve to get it to slide into the floor receptacle?

The more minute the detail, the better.

The M20E in question has been test flown by an experienced Mooney pilot so am confident that there isn't a mechanical issue complicating things.

Thanks in advance,

Tim

[mestabr]

I don't  know about a two fingered extension and retraction technique... here is what I do...

 

Climb Out:  Try to maintain steady 80 kt airspeed.  Wrap my hand around the grip with thumb on the release button.  Press the button and pull down on the grip to release the gear and retract.  Sometime, if I'm climbing too quickly, or if I'm going too fast (darn mooneys), I'll need to do the "mooney wave" - basically unload the g forces on the plane to neutral or slightly negative, and then extend the gear so I'm not putting excessive force on the gear extension assembly.

 

Landing:  Much easier - firmly grip the gear handle and release it from the holding position, push it into catch mechanism until it clicks in securely.  Check gear down lights and try to push my thumbnail between the bar and socket.  If I can, then the gear is not secure.  Then I have my passenger re-buckle their seatbelt that I just unhooked.  Then check gear down 3, 6, 8 more times before I land!  

 

Hope that helps... happy flying!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Andy95W]

Check out Don Maxwell's site:

http://www.donmaxwell.com/publications/MAPA_TEXT/Manual%20Gear%20Operation/LANDING_GEAR)OPERATION.HTM

[mestabr]

Nice summary - thanks for sharing Andy.  I had never heard the 'twist' when moving the handle before.  I'll have to give that a try and see if it works easier.

 

I disagree with early retraction of the gear.  I just keep my airspeed down by keeping my climb rate up.  But - it's always a personal choice / philosophy.  

[231Pilot]

When I was flying my C:

 

Once I had established a positive climb, with airspeed around 80, I would push latch with right thumb, and as I brought the handle toward the floor I would rotate my wrist so my hand rested on the side of the handle that is up when the bar is on the floor.  I would give a slight tug toward the receptacle.  To extend the gear I would slow to gear extension speed, raise the handle from the floor and reverse the wrist rotation as the handle approached the receptacle on the underside of the panel. Once in the receptacle I would give a sharp tug upward to fully seat. During GUMP I would grasp the handle without touching the latch and tug straight down and straight up to ensure that the gear was locked in place.  I did this three or four times during final.

 

My stability came from my left thigh being pressed against the left side panel, not from my grip on the yoke.

 

It worked every time. I kind of wish I had manual gear on my 231.

[1964-M20E]

If you should find it harder than you think to extend the gear you might want to get with you MX and lube all the rod end and moving parts in the gear retraction train.  You are allowed to do this yourself if you feel competent without the MX but he can provide some guidance if needed.  Also it is best if you can have it on jacks so you can move the gear during and after lubrication.

 

Other suggestions good advice.  Kind of scary when I think about it I really can’t recall I just do it.

[urbanti]

Thx very much for all the posts.

Just to clarify, I don't have any issues with the speed or smoothness of the Johnson bar moving once it's moving. Don't necessarily need to lube any gear pivots.

Only issue is easily latching and unlatching the Johnson bar sleeve into the receptacles.

best

Tim

[N601RX]

Yes, push the handle slightly forward and then slide the handle down.  This isn't necessarily related, but there have also been latching mechanisms that have been worn and oval shaped instead of nice and round.

[mooniac15u]

Thx very much for all the posts.

Just to clarify, I don't have any issues with the speed or smoothness of the Johnson bar moving once it's moving. Don't necessarily need to lube any gear pivots.

Only issue is easily latching and unlatching the Johnson bar sleeve into the receptacles.

best

Tim

 

I found that when latching the bar into the floor receptacle (gear up) I occasionally had to give the grip a small twist to get it to lock in.

[carusoam]

If you are new to manual gear...

There is a good speed for up and another good speed for down (as stated above)

Too fast, they are hard to put up.

Too slow, they are hard to put down.

Other things to know about...

If the J bar is released in cruise.... It comes through the cabin very quickly (tell the passengers in the preflight things not to touch).

The down lock block has a tendency to wear into an oval shape. It will feel as though it locked, but it didn't. Make sure it locks!

Memories of my C,

-a-

[Seth]

Great article in the link.  In my F I never had an issue with the sleeve movement but I did need to replace a bungee at one of the annuals and it made all the difference in the world with the smoothness in operation.

 

-Seth

[Wakeup]

I have tried the thumb nail check and I'm not sure I know what I feeling for?? I feel a little grove but that's all I feel. The way it's described, that would mean it's unlocked ? Mine is locked and I feel a little grove. Maybe too many thumb nails over the years. Thanks. Troy

[Seth]

I have tried the thumb nail check and I'm not sure I know what I feeling for?? I feel a little grove but that's all I feel. The way it's described, that would mean it's unlocked ? Mine is locked and I feel a little grove. Maybe too many thumb nails over the years. Thanks. Troy

Troy-  If you have your original block, the next time the gear is retracted feel the inside of the block for a groove (wear).  If it's worn, that means your block should be replaced so that gear doesn't pop out due to a hard landing or uneven surface. 

 

There's a video of a short body Mooney taking off from a grass field and when the nose goes over a "rut" in the field on the take off roll, the gear collapses.  I bet you that's because the block was worn.

 

The next part of the video is kind of funny, How many "people" does it take to lift a Mooney?  The spectators all together (20 plus people) lift up the Mooney so that the pilot can lower the gear.  I can only imagine what the untrained people were lifting and the pressures they were placing on the skin.

 

-Seth

[Glenn]

I found that when latching the bar into the floor receptacle (gear up) I occasionally had to give the grip a small twist to get it to lock in.

 

Thx very much for all the posts.

Just to clarify, I don't have any issues with the speed or smoothness of the Johnson bar moving once it's moving. Don't necessarily need to lube any gear pivots.

Only issue is easily latching and unlatching the Johnson bar sleeve into the receptacles.

best

Tim

Spray some Tri-Flow between the chrome sleeve and the shaft.  That should do it.

[carusoam]

Next flight or so...

Use you iPhone or similar device to photograph the hole.

If it is round you are fortunate...

If it is shaped like an egg, you are still fortunate (you have a Mooney).

The block is aluminum and meets up with a chrome coated piece of steal. It wears a little each use...

The block is relatively low cost. To change it out takes jacking the plane up...

Many have been swapped out over the last few years since it became a known issue...

Best regards,

-a-

[mooniac15u]

Spray some Tri-Flow between the chrome sleeve and the shaft.  That should do it.

 

Or upgrade to an M20J with electric gear.

[Andy95W]

Or upgrade to an M20J with electric gear.

Blasphemer!

[Mooneymite]

Or upgrade to an M20J with electric gear.

My 'C' has the electric gear, but I find this thread interesting since the wear and tear on the drive train is a function of the resistence encountered.

 

Even though the Dukes will retract/extend the gear at max gear speed, I try to avoid high speed operation of the gear whenever possible.  At each annual, I try to make sure that the gear is "free and easy" by disconnecting the drive mechanism and moving the gear through full movement to make sure there's no binding.  I try to retact the gear below 80 MPH after takeoff.

 

The AD on the Dukes electric gear is basically all about the drive gears.  I presume the less they have to work, the longer they'll last.

[Guest]

The post about un doing the passenger seat belt brought back a memory. I was checking out a friend of mine in my E model, his back side was a bit wider than average so when he was extending the gear he caught the his middle finger on the seat belt which promptly peeled the nail off.

Lots of blood and cursing in the cabin on the downwind leg, a flight I will remember for some time.

Clarence

[triple8s]

( "The next part of the video is kind of funny, How many "people" does it take to lift a Mooney? The spectators all together (20 plus people) lift up the Mooney so that the pilot can lower the gear. I can only imagine what the untrained people were lifting and the pressures they were placing on the skin." )

That would have worried me too but I have seen quite a few aircraft (vehicles too for that matter) get more damage during the recovery operations than during the actual accident.

When I had manual gear I usually retracted once I was climbing, my old instructor always beached at me over that but I figured it goes up or down so fast I could get it back down quick enough. He always said don't raise the gear till you have no more usable runway. On retracting I usually helped it latch with my right knee as it was nearing the block, once it clicked in I always pulled down and back to be sure the thumb lock was securely latched. I love the manual gear and hydraulic flaps. IMHO the only drawback is losing the space in the floor and the space in the center below the panel. I had an alternator failure one evening before dark and by the time I got back to the airport there wasn't enough power left to transmit or for the lights, the strobe would still fire but that was about it. I never really even felt as if it was an issue when I got to the hangar I was thinking while backing it in how if I had electric gear it would have been much more "interesting".

[HRM]

Maxwell site and practice.

 

I personally am a fan of the Mooney nod on TO where you push smartly on the yoke while retracting the gear. You can get quite good at it. Great fun every two years when you go up with the latest ATP wannabe for a FR. Scares the crap out of them. So few 20-somethings have been up in Mooneys 

[Wakeup]

I took a pic today of my latch. How does it look ? Thanks. Troy

[carusoam]

You got the right picture...

But, it looks like an oval, because of the angle.

There is plenty of wear indicated from the photo.

The coating that prevents wear is missing. They have much better coatings for that now.

What's the price of a new block?

Good luck,

-a-

[Wakeup]

-a-

I will look into another block. Yes. It does look oval but I swear it's round

Thanks

Troy

[HRM]

Made a new observation on my flight today. My annual this year was a bit onerous and lengthy, but the relevance to this thread is that I had a new latch block installed. Following the annual I had a major surgery that grounded me for a month. I lost (not just from the surgery) close to 50 pounds and today I realized that I would not be having any more issues with the seatbelt clip getting snagged by the Johnson bar. Unrelated to the block is the fact that I no longer have to cut circulation to my leg from the strap on my iPad mini kneeboard holder. Last thing, I picked up an extra 8 gallons of AVGAS should I ever find myself adjusting fuel load to meet W&B