Dropping the gear in a turn

[Pint o' Pale]

Hello All Merry Xmas & Happy new year.

Just a quick question with reference to selecting gear down in a turn - is this something to be avioded whenever possible? Does dropping the gear in a turn increase the load on gear motors / actuators due to the increase in load factor? Does the change in airflow direction due to a slip do any damage to gear doors below Vlo? (Or if in unbalanced level flight) Thanks in advance for your thoughts on the topic.

[Lefthanded_Rock_Thrower]

if anything dropping the gear in a greater "g" load would make life easier for the gear motor/system, the problem is dropping the gear in any inbalanced flight, so it stands to reason that a turn is the most likely scenario, gear doors are really not that firmly mounted onto the leg.

[compressor stall]

Have always tried to drop the gear with wings level.

As for stress on the gear legs due load factor, extending during a level balanced rate one turn probably exerts less force on the gear legs/doors than extending with wings level on a rough thermally 40 deg day.

Even so, it's something I aim to do regardless.

[18-Wheeler]

Keep the ball in centre, there's otherwise no difference.

[Planned Root]

From my fading memory, the PA-60 (Aerostar) POH recommends gear not be extended during a turn otherwise the gear doors may separate from their mountings.

This is a gear door issue and not the gear itself.

[Hudson]

If there was a problem, then the aircraft would not have received certification. Just another GA myth -and believe me, there is no shortage of GA originated myths.

[DeltaT]

but rather than structural, I would have thought the main point would be that in a turn your stall speed is raised, and dropping the gear and increasing drag etc etc is going to raise it more, something that could lead to a precerious situation when slowing down for finals ?!

just 2 cents worth...

[John Citizen]

Myth ? Maybe not ?

I think I once read about it (not to lower gear in a turn) in both :
- a Cessna 210 Operating Handbook
- a charter companies Operations Manual (probably coming from the C210 POH)

Can anyone help me out here ?

[GA Driver]

Perhaps you could leave it to the flight manual says (or doesn't!)
Speeking of GA myths, a company I used to fly with insisted on reducing Vle by 10kts on virtually every retract they had, which in some machines made it VERY tough. Talk about pedantic!

My two cents...

If the manual says don't extend the gear in a turn (such as the 210 if it does say that) then don't do it!

If it doesn't say anything at all, where's the problem?
Never had any problems whatsoever extending the gear during a reversal turn or on base asymmetric.

Cheers
GA Driver

[flying_phonebox]

Yeah try to make it easier on the doors by maintaining ball centred + straight and level, well in 210's with those lovely batwings for the gear! Really would not like to jettison one of those inflight.......

Probably is a myth but as the owner says "Fly it like you own it"!

cheers

[bush mechanics]

Maybe you should be more intrested in extending flap in turns rather than gear.I dont ever go flaps up or down in turns because I would rather deal with asymetric flap in wings level rather than during a turn onto final.
I feel you will have more chance maintaining wings level if you are already wings level than fighting to get back from a high angle of bank.

[G11]

If the gear can't handle extending in a slight turn then my butt won't be sitting on top of it..........absurd!!!:yuk:

The G.

[Captain Sand Dune]

What th....!?!?!:eek:
Keep the aircraft balanced and below the advertised g/IAS limits and the gear should operate.

"Fly it like you own it"!

More like - "fly it like you stole it":cool:

[Hugh Jarse]

I thought all the 210's had been modded out of their barn doors. Perhaps not:}

Perhaps I need to get out more. I've not flown anything in my career that has had a turning limitation on gear/flaps.

Maybe it's a bit like the old analogy "Taxi at a brisk walking pace"..Fine, if you need wing-walkers to steady your aircraft in the breeze:yuk:

Or "The stalling speed is slower in a headwind" ROTFLMAO:} :} :E

[hoss]

Seasons Greeting Hugh Jarse:ok: .

I've often wondered about the 'old taxi at brisk walking pace' one. I reckon the F/A's could do a cabin service with tea and coffee just on the taxi out to 34R.

Captain Sand Dune,

You beat me to it;) . 'Fly it like you stole it', the first thing that came to my mind as well.

:)

[Mr. Hat]

Gear and flap in a turn a big no no in my company.

CP explained that it can warp gear doors.

I just do as i'm told.:(

[hoss]

G'day Mr. Hat,

I totally understand where your coming from, I used to work for a very good charter company that had quite a few 'company rules'. I stuck to them and can see why we had those 'rules'. The one thing to remember with these company rules is they are not absolute. So if I was in your CP's shoes I'd be really careful. If it is an aircraft limitation(AFM) then it is absolute.

For example: "hot and high on base", mate if you are at your AFM gear and flap speeds then configure and place the emphasis more towards a stable approach and use the aircraft's flexibility. I would say its the safer option and lets face it things could turn really pear shaped while waiting for say 5 or 10kts to reduce to company rules. Without underestimating your CP but if he was watching I doubt he would be able to tell the difference between 5-10kts anyway :ok: .

Just my thoughts, have a Happy New Year :) .

[MAXX]

ive always believed it was down to a bit of professional airmanship not to operate the gear and flap in a turn,however coordinated turn as already mentioned previously in this thread doesnt harm the gear itself.
with some of the older model c-210 and the aerostar(PA-60)the main gear doors are made from something close to the thickness of a beer can,and connected just aswell.
i flew an aerostar years ago and i remember well as part of my endorsement,my check pilot strongly recommended me never to put the gear out other than in a wings level ball in the centre,(he was speaking from experience).as has already been stated both the c-210 and aerostar have the recommendation in the POH.

[always inverted]

with regard to the aerostar, that was recomended to me on my initial too. The problem was not on the material the doors are made from but on the "banana linkages" that the doors are actuated through. (name is due to their shape)

Seems the increased loading and/or unbalanced flight loads up the linkages up via the inboard doors and can cause them to break, which makes the inboard doors hang down and drag along the runway, seen it happen on another guys type rating, instructor had told him but seems that the newbie knew better.

So no it is not a myth in some A/C...

[Reverseflowkeroburna]

I knew there was a good reason I never got a "Deathstar" endorsement!!

As Capt. Sand Dune, Jarse etc. point out......... No POH limitation.......... No worries!!

I personally PREFER to lower gear when wings level, not so I avoid the "banked/slipping" scenario, but to have the A/C in its most stable attitude so that I can enjoy the reassuring left/right yaw that so often accompanies the mostly alternate/uneven maingear extension that happens with a lot of hydraulically actuated systems. Never trust dem little green lights?

Or it could be the pleb at the wheel with the two left feet flying so grossly out of balance causing one main to extend first!!!???

As I said, just my personal preference.

[QNIM]

Gday All

I like to drop my gear as I roll over.

Cheers Q :E

[bush mechanics]

Maybe we should all cast our memorys back to the circuit training we all did as students.
Late downwind,1 stage of flap and then gear.Then turn base and soo on.
Maybe the answer for this question is already known.