VLE To speed or not to speed?

[Jpravi8tor]

Ok, I have been thinking about theoretically ferrying electric gear aircraft with emergency gear extension cable failures. (There has been some discussion about cable failures lately)

What is actually limiting my max speed with the gear extended? I feel like it has to be the gear doors, the gear is as stout as a mule in Rut!

I ask you have you flown your aircraft with the gear down and the gear doors removed? I wonder how fast it would go? I wonder how noisy it would be?

Has anyone suffered gear door damage during operations? is VLO the same as VLE? 

The main doors seem very stiff but the weak point seems to be the nose gear doors.

Thoughts?

 

 

[Pinecone]

On later models, Vle and Vlo are not the same.  On my 252, Vle is 135 KIAS.  Vlo is 165 KIAS.

[Fly Boomer]

22 minutes ago, Jpravi8tor said:

Ok, I have been thinking about theoretically ferrying electric gear aircraft with emergency gear extension cable failures. (There has been some discussion about cable failures lately)

What is actually limiting my max speed with the gear extended? I feel like it has to be the gear doors, the gear is as stout as a mule in Rut!

I ask you have you flown your aircraft with the gear down and the gear doors removed? I wonder how fast it would go? I wonder how noisy it would be?

Has anyone suffered gear door damage during operations? is VLO the same as VLE? 

The main doors seem very stiff but the weak point seems to be the nose gear doors.

Thoughts?

 

 

I have an M20K as well, and the placard says:

GEAR UP        107 KIAS
GEAR DOWN      140 KIAS
GEAR EXTENDED  165 KIAS

I'm pretty sure the concern is the gear doors.

[Hank]

Just look at the speed difference between an M20-C gear up and an M20-D with gear permanently down.

[Jpravi8tor]

So what are the differences in gear doors between pre J and later models?

[Fly Boomer]

2 minutes ago, Jpravi8tor said:

So what are the differences in gear doors between pre J and later models?

The M20K has third doors on the mains that completely hides the gear when retracted.  Not sure if it's that third door that's delicate, or the other two doors.  Or, for that matter, it might be the nose gear doors as you suggested above.

[Jpravi8tor]

On my 75 F VLO and VLE are 104 kias!? It makes little sense to me

[GeeBee]

It made sense to someone who built it.

 

[Pinecone]

3 hours ago, Fly Boomer said:

The M20K has third doors on the mains that completely hides the gear when retracted.  Not sure if it's that third door that's delicate, or the other two doors.  Or, for that matter, it might be the nose gear doors as you suggested above.

Those inner doors are closed when the gear is up or down but open when the gear is in transit.   So it is possibly them while operating they could be damaged

[Fly Boomer]

21 minutes ago, Pinecone said:

Those inner doors are closed when the gear is up or down but open when the gear is in transit.   So it is possibly them while operating they could be damaged

Hadn't thought of that.  Your theory certainly sounds plausible.

[Jpravi8tor]

3 hours ago, GeeBee said:

It made sense to someone who built it.

 

 

[GeeBee]

Not the first time I've been given that moniker When in doubt, go back to basics.

[Jpravi8tor]

3 hours ago, GeeBee said:

It made sense to someone who built it.

 

 

[Jpravi8tor]

I’m curious does anyone use ant special technique or lubricant to extend the life of the emergency gear extension cable?

[Will.iam]

6 hours ago, Jpravi8tor said:

Ok, I have been thinking about theoretically ferrying electric gear aircraft with emergency gear extension cable failures. (There has been some discussion about cable failures lately)

What is actually limiting my max speed with the gear extended? I feel like it has to be the gear doors, the gear is as stout as a mule in Rut!

I ask you have you flown your aircraft with the gear down and the gear doors removed? I wonder how fast it would go? I wonder how noisy it would be?

Has anyone suffered gear door damage during operations? is VLO the same as VLE? 

The main doors seem very stiff but the weak point seems to be the nose gear doors.

Thoughts?

 

 

I would think with the gear out and being so much drag you wouldn’t want to go much faster than max gear speed due to the higher fuel consumption rate. 

[Pinecone]

Remember, gear speed is IAS.  So at altitude, you probably will not do over 165 knots indicated.

[RoundTwo]

The POH for my ‘88 had 162 for operating speed but the modified POH for the GW increase walked that back so the extension speed is the same as the operating speed. I guess somebody learned something new.