Any Robin DR300/140 pilots?

[Troy McClure]

I've recently had cause to fly a Robin DR300/140.

When in flight and the oleo at full extension, the nosewheel is designed to lock in place.

On this aircraft, it locks at about 10º to the right of straight ahead, which means that on landing the aeroplane is likely to veer right. Applying left rudder (instinctively) to correct tends to prevent the mechanism from unlocking leading to some hairy moments and runway edge lights getting too close for comfort.

I've found that a positive nose-down stick deflection immediately after landing tends to solve the problem (as does a blip of park brake which shifts weight onto the nose wheel).

On consulting the POH today, I noticed that it states that the nose wheel should lock 'in line with the aeroplane axis'. On this one it doesn't, as is obvious when you put weight on the tail to raise the nose off the ground and the nose wheel springs to the right as the oleo extends.

The owner of the aeroplane has always insisted that there is no fault, but now I'm not sure.

Is this really a design flaw or or is this particular aeroplane broken and should be grounded?

Any advice appreciated.

[A and C]

Troy
As you say the nose wheel should lock in the for/aft position and there is a cam plate to adjust the zero position.

It is most important that the loads are minimised as there is a week spot in the nose leg that is the subject of an AD because of cracking of the weld at the lower attachment.

Not having the nose leg adjusted correctly could prove very expensive in the long run.

Adjustment should only take about 20 min.

[Ground Loop]

Hi Troy

I have a 400 with a simular problem. There is a plate on the top of the oleo asembly which is held in place buy two nuts, which locate the wheel to centre. This can be adjsuted. My problem started after having very bad wheel shimy bad enough to destroy the front spat.

GL

[Troy McClure]

So, the owner, at our insistence, went back to his engineer, and whadyaknow, it was set up wrong.

Problem has now been solved, owner had to admit that we'd been right all the time, and aeroplane now handles fine.

Thanks for the replies.

Troy.