Originally Posted by
Pilot DAR
and getting to that lower drag configuration can involve busy hands, and temporary increases in drag.
Not sure I agree that moving the landing gear selector from "down" to "up" constitutes "busy hands".....
However flying technique seldom involves black and white, right or wrong ways to do things. On the question of gear up or down, a case can be made either way. However I do feel strongly about the desirability of an initial climb at or around Vy. I see man pilots who fly higher performance retractables who ,after liftoff, make a shallow climb accelerating to a cruise climb airspeed and then slowly climbing away. This in my opinion greatly increases the window of vulnerability in the case of a EFATO.
Pilot DAR's other points are quite good. I especially agree that the landing gear retraction/extension mechanism can be a problem area on Cardinal RG's. There were 3 different system designs in the 8 year life of the the Cardinal RG and it is important that pilots who fly this aircraft really understand how it works and the emergency procedures required in the event of a problem.