I feel like sticking up for the retractable gear. My first KR had them and they worked beautifully. The covers that covered the wheels when retracted acted as speed brakes with the gear extended. I don't know if these wheelcovers/drag brakes were part of the original design, but I think so. I stressed the heck out of that gear when learning to fly and land the KR . . . and later on rough strips. Never a problem. I don't know why there is such bias against the retractable gear . . . it's certainly not universal.
In those instances where the downlocks failed I suspect it was because somebody didn't build the gear correctly or use a heavy duty spring bar . . . I don't know. I'm pretty sure - based on my experiences with my own gear - that something went awry in the building process or the KR was way heavy. Or the people in it were way heavy. My gear was fine. Sparky's was fine for 800+ hours. Others' planes with retractable gear work fine. I'd just as soon have them now instead of the fixed gear that I've got. They're slick. Some KR's are built and modified these days to an extent that puts them beyond the weight Ken's original gear was designed for, so for these later, fatter KR's I suppose fixed gear is advisable. http://s365.photobucket.com/albums/oo96/Matsapha/N33751/ Mike KSEE ____________________________________________________________ $13/Month Car Insurance? Insurance deal just passed now allows you to get car insurance for $13 http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3141/4cbe8c162ed54712cbm04vuc
