---------------------------------------------------------- Allegro-List Digest Archive --- Total Messages Posted Thu 05/18/06: 2 ---------------------------------------------------------- Today's Message Index: ---------------------- 1. 04:31 AM - gear leg cracks (Thom Riddle) 2. 07:49 PM - Re: gear leg cracks (Hugh McKay III) ________________________________ Message 1 _____________________________________ Time: 04:31:41 AM PST US From: Thom Riddle Subject: Allegro-List: gear leg cracks During our annual inspection we found a 1" long squiggly crack in both of the main gear legs, 4" from the fuselage. We ordered a new pair of gear legs today for $850. I was told that there has been only one other owner in the USA reporting cracked gear legs and it happened to them twice and in the same location which was the same location as I ours. It seems like a manufacturing or design defect to me, but Doug Hempstead assured me that it was not but all have resulted from hard landings. We have not had any hard landings, perhaps a few not-so-smooth landings at near gross weight, but none that I would classify as hard landings. However, since we bought ours used from a dealer, it had been used as a demo plane and perhaps primary training, but not sure. WHAT TO LOOK FOR DURING PRE-FLIGHT INSPECTION: On LEFT main gear leg the crack occurred 4" from the fuselage on the FORWARD edge beginning at the mold line. On RIGHT main gear leg the crack occurred 4" from the fuselage on the AFT edge beginning at the mold line. Attached photos shows the squiggly crack with the beginning and end points marked by a pair of arrow heads. Thom in Buffalo ________________________________ Message 2 _____________________________________ Time: 07:49:59 PM PST US From: "Hugh McKay III" Subject: RE: Allegro-List: gear leg cracks --> Allegro-List message posted by: "Hugh McKay III" Thom: I would be interested in finding out what the delivery time is for your new landing gear legs. What has Fantasy Air USA told you? I finally received my new replacement aluminum wing tanks last week. Fantasy Air USA shipped them to me from Sanford, NC. They arrived with the flanged ends severely bent in three or four places around the circumference of the flange. It looked like some one deliberately bent the flanges on both tanks. I was shocked! I had to send them back. They were shipped by UPS from Sanford, NC to my dealer in Morganton, NC. I had to wait 6 weeks to get them after asking and asking for them to be shipped, and now I'm told by Fantasy Air USA that I'll have to wait another six weeks to get another set. Earlier they told me that they had the new aluminum tanks in stock. It is obvious they do not have the tanks in stock. My fuselage is still sitting in Fantasy Air's hanger waiting for them to install the BRS. It has been sitting there for nine weeks along with the BRS chute. When I ask Fantasy Air USA to tell me when they will have the BRS installed, I get no answer. I am really frustrated with how I am being treated as a customer. Hugh in NC -----Original Message----- From: owner-allegro-list-server@matronics.com [mailto:owner-allegro-list-server@matronics.com]On Behalf Of Thom Riddle Sent: Thursday, May 18, 2006 6:31 AM Subject: Allegro-List: gear leg cracks During our annual inspection we found a 1" long squiggly crack in both of the main gear legs, 4" from the fuselage. We ordered a new pair of gear legs today for $850. I was told that there has been only one other owner in the USA reporting cracked gear legs and it happened to them twice and in the same location which was the same location as I ours. It seems like a manufacturing or design defect to me, but Doug Hempstead assured me that it was not but all have resulted from hard landings. We have not had any hard landings, perhaps a few not-so-smooth landings at near gross weight, but none that I would classify as hard landings. However, since we bought ours used from a dealer, it had been used as a demo plane and perhaps primary training, but not sure. WHAT TO LOOK FOR DURING PRE-FLIGHT INSPECTION: On LEFT main gear leg the crack occurred 4" from the fuselage on the FORWARD edge beginning at the mold line. On RIGHT main gear leg the crack occurred 4" from the fuselage on the AFT edge beginning at the mold line. Attached photos shows the squiggly crack with the beginning and end points marked by a pair of arrow heads. Thom in Buffalo