I believe that what you state about the added safety factor of the retract is absolutely true, but of all the small aircraft that are manufactured with retracts, I'll bet that none of them have retracts just to make them more safe.
When I converted my first KR to fixed gear, then the "Rand" fixed aluminum spring bar, I was concerned about the small bolts that attach it to the aluminum brackets. A friend speculated that there was a reason for that, and that it was probably so that in the event of an off field landing, the gear would snap off. 195 hours of landing on pavement and grass and it never failed. I might be crazy, but I built my plane for flying, not for ditching. I think the BRS would be a better solution for that, anyway. See N64KR at http://KRBuilder.org - Then click on the pics See you at the 2009 - KR Gathering in Mt. Vernon, Ill There is a time for building and a time for FLYING and the time for Flying has begun. Daniel R. Heath - Lexington, SC -----Original Message----- From: krnet-boun...@mylist.net [mailto:krnet-boun...@mylist.net] On Behalf Of John Gotschall Sent: Sunday, April 19, 2009 8:37 PM To: KRnet Subject: RE: KR> Tri Gear Conversion Netters, Not too long ago a kr-2 went down here in Washington. I understood it to be a fatality event. There were pics on the internet and a short video of an automobile tow truck trying to right the plane, which was tri-gear equipped and after landing in a (soft) field flipped over, I am guessing over the nose gear and prop. Probably the resulting flopping down on the head, upside down would account for the fatality.. but that is a guess. There was no fire. I have seen videos of tailwheel and tri gear aircraft landing in water. Always with devastating results. It seems to me that the same aircraft landing in mud or a very soft field would give similar results. The gear grab ahold of the water or mud, and provide unsafe deceleration. After watching and reading this group for more than a year or two I have not seen this discussed. What of the safety provided by retracts in super soft field (mud) and water landings? At the last gathering, I met john Shafer who had put his kr down in a corn field gear up (his was the only flying example of trigear full retracts on a kr2).. He described sliding along the mud, corn stalks, and snow (with gear up) as a non-event compared to having to do the same thing in a fixed trike or tailwheel plane. I know alot of guys have the original retracts, and alot of guys shun them. But isin't being able to clean up the undercarriage (during a forced landing) a HUGE plus? especially for super soft field (mud) or water landings? All my forced landing here in western Washington are probably going to be within reach of water.. I think it's worth keeping retracts for, or making a tricycle set of retracts for... Any opinions to chime in here?? ANyone here put down in water with fixed gear? How did that work out? John Gotschall N611GB Puyallup, WA _______________________________________ Search the KRnet Archives at http://www.maddyhome.com/krsrch/index.jsp to UNsubscribe from KRnet, send a message to krnet-le...@mylist.net please see other KRnet info at http://www.krnet.org/info.html
