Peter wrote:
What tends to break first? The gear components, or the firewall?
Retractable gear will probably break first, but don’t quote me on that. Fixed gear certainly depends on the type; in particular, firewall damage is likely on a Grumman or Cirrus.
What tends to break first? The gear components, or the firewall?
A repair on a bucked firewall must be very expensive because everything has to come off.
I Got stuck in deep mud after a bogus instruction from an air/ground operator.
It was about to turn right to firm ground when the guy (who was in a position to see me) called the instruct me to turn left.
I didn’t know for sure that section was soft and it’s hard to ignore a direct instruction.
We went 5 yards and sunk to the axles.
The first reaction from everyone was that a ‘team’ of helpers would push her out (code for dent every skin on the airframe)
I harshly objected. They were then looking to use the nosewheel to pull her free but I convinced them to allow me to make a rope bridal and pull backwards on both the main gear.
We placed boards under the wheels and kept collection them to replace again in turn to gey backwards to firm ground.
I have heard stories if aircraft being pulled free using the nosewheel and it never seems right to me.
Now I come to think of it all if my (sometimes as Pax) experiences of a/c being stuck in mud are due to A/g operators interfering with the pilots best instincts.
Towing / recovery procedures should be detailed in the maintenance manual – I know for PA28 for example it specifies where to put ropes on main legs and min length of rope
One useful item to have available is some kind of trolley that a leg can be manhandled onto to clear a runway etc in event of a tyre burst – we have done this a number of times in my club
One might get stuck in mud and then somebody might try to pull the plane out with a vehicle.
The correct way is to put a long rope (or two) around the main wheels, but often people doing this are not aware.
The Socata TB20/21 nose gear is one of the stronger ones but I reckon a vehicle could just rip it right off