No, not missing anything and I see your logic as hopefully you see mine. The
squat switch does not have to be on the sleeve of the strut but could be on
the scissor although the best place for it is on the barrel of the strut. At
the tech order strut operating pressure (I forget the numbers), my struts
collapse about 1/4-1/2 in with wt. on them. That may not be enough to be
practical for a WOW switch.
The ground proximity warning sonar is practical and $1295 is reasonable I
guess. Just means I have to leave off another accessory planned for the
winter if I chose to install this. For now the check list still works and my
insurance rates remain the same. Amaratizing the $1300 over the $50 to $100
extra I would get off my $1800 annual premiums means at best it would be 13
years before I could re-coupe the investment in the GPWS. I could bend the
plane doing something else over that time too.
Self insuring, investing the premiums in this Bear market, and simply
waiting out the recovery also means that I could make enough over the next
10 years to replace a couple of aircraft too. The new housing sales pending
starts are already up 30% in this "bad economy". Did not see that on the big
"three" either did you.
Doc
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-yak-list-server@matronics.com
[mailto:owner-yak-list-server@matronics.com] On Behalf Of Bitterlich, Mark G
CIV Det Cherry Point, MALS-14 64E
Sent: Thursday, October 09, 2008 1:20 PM
To: yak-list@matronics.com
Subject: RE: Re: RED ALERT - Safety Review
Doc, in order to have a WOW switch work, something has to MOVE. The
distance it MOVES has to enough to make a SWITCH activate or deactivate.
Think about the 50 .... what moves? The struts when inflated correctly can
be so stiff as to not move at all on landing. Yes, the slide lock can be
replaced with an electronic version (solenoid). Headset noises are no
problem either. A Rad/Alt could also be used instead of GPWS, but at more
expense.
The simple fact though is that if you have a GPWS, you really do not need a
weight on wheels switch. Just some control logic. When the gear is down
and you are below min altititude, the solenoid locks the pin so the gear can
not be raised and audio alerts are disabled. When the aircraft takes off,
and gets above minimum alt. then the gear lock pin UNLOCKS, the gear can
then be raised, and audio alerts are re-activated.
Am I missing something?
Mark
________________________________
From: owner-yak-list-server@matronics.com on behalf of Roger Kemp MD
Sent: Thu 10/9/2008 1:55 PM
To: yak-list@matronics.com
Subject: RE: Re: RED ALERT - Safety Review
Someone yesterday said a WOW switch would not work on the YAK? Why? We are
talking about a weight on wheels switch. I disables the up circuit on the
gear handle. Since we have a manual slide lock a simple micro circuit could
be added to the slide lock that when there is weight on the wheels and the
slide lock is open there is gear warning horn or beep beep in the head set.
With enough bucks you could even have a synthetic "Bitching Betty" saying
"check gear, check gear". (or whatever you want to say, like" take your
&*^%$#@ hands of the gear handle!") Yes, when you slide the slide lock open
for TO you would get that warning also. For a few folks I have seen TO, that
may not be such a bad idea either. The radar altimeter could also be
incorporated for a ground proximity warning also on landing warning of gear
up landing when there is no weight on the wheels.
Just a thought.
Doc
From: owner-yak-list-server@matronics.com
[mailto:owner-yak-list-server@matronics.com] On Behalf Of doug sapp
Sent: Thursday, October 09, 2008 12:12 PM
To: yak-list@matronics.com
Subject: Re: Re: RED ALERT - Safety Review
Guys,
As Elmar and Mark pointed out, it's already been built, it has been
available for years. The sticking point is the $1250.00 uninstalled cost
and to a somewhat lesser degree the mentality that "it won't happen to me".
TJ and I have talked about all this before. But if we are going to to drag
this horse out and beat it some more I would like to restate my opinion,
knowing full well that with it and $1.50 you can get a cup of coffee.
At the risk of being drug out of my office and summarily tarred and
feathered I would (somewhat cautiously suggest) that if we REALLY want to be
proactive on this gear warn issue IMHO the only way to enact it across the
board is a UP charge on our insurance premiums. This upcharge would be
refunded upon the installation of a acceptable gear warn system. Reading
TJ's curent email I also assume that once it was installed we could enjoy a
reduction of our annual premiums also. As unpopular as it may be to suggest
yet another increase in our flying expenses, I honestly think this may be
the only way to get everyone's attention and have a real impact on the
problem of gear up landings.
Retracting the gear on the ramp is yet another issue and must be delt with
in another manner.
Always Yakin,
Doug
On Wed, Oct 8, 2008 at 6:38 PM, Tim Gagnon <NiftyYak50@fuse.net> wrote:
tjyak50 wrote:
> We've gone around and around on this subject for years.
> There is always a way to find a reason why each system isn't perfect.
>
> So nobody does anything.
Build it and they will come.
Read this topic online here:
http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p 7999#207999
--
Always Yakin,
Doug Sapp
Phone 509-826-4610
Fax 509-826-3644
http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Yak-List
http://forums.matronics.com
http://www.matronics.com/contribution
