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Flap retraction and gear collapse accidents Tom Turner's excellent article regarding squat switches in the January ABS Magazille brought up some rather important issues about gear-collapse accidents as a result of inadvertently selecting the gear switch to the up position after landing, in an effort to retract the flaps. While this problem is not entirely unique to the BonanzalBaron, it may be the most common gear-related accident scenario for the type. Years ago, my good friend and longtime Bonanza owner Art Drake described a simple technique to avoid the scenario. On my M35 with the keyboard switch panel, there are lever locks in both the flap and the gear switches. The gear lever is bidirectional and requires the pilot to slide the lever lock using one finger and selecting the gear up or down with another finger. The flap switch works much the same way to extend the flaps, but moving the lever lock is not required to retract the flaps. lt only takes one finger to retract the flaps but always takes two to retract the gear. I presume the Barons and later model Bonanzas require two fingers to pull the gear switch control out of a detent in order to retract the gear, and only one finger to pop the flap paddle switch to the UP position. (E D. NOTE: Later Bonar.za and Baron flap handles indeed can be moved from down to up without pulling the control, but must be pulled over a stop to move from up to down positions.) If you lise ollly ONE jinger IVhell relracling the flaps, YOIIlVillllOI be able 10 relraCI Ihe gear accidelllally. The caveat here is that the lever locks or detents be in good working order. They are easy to check by the pilot. Just make sure the master switch is off before moving any switches! Proper strut servicing is important in squat-switch operation. Check the POH or shop manual for proper servicing. Keep in mind that strut extension may vary depending on load and airport elevation. Perhaps someone will come out with an STC'd kit that incorporates the gear/low throttle interrupting feature of the newer airplanes. (Are you reading this, ABS vendors?) In the meantime, brief yourself as to which switch you will use to retract the flaps after landing and ollly lise ONEjillgeri - Geary Keilman, Las Vegas, Nevada Cowl flap hinge brackets In Tech Talk (February ABS Maga~ille) Dick Pedersen wrote about replacing the cowl flap hinge brackets. In 2003 I replaced some of these on my F33A and I found that there were a couple of 'golchas' on ordering and getting the correct parts. Dick notes that the brackets are individually available. The brackets are two basic part numbers--(002-410025 for the brackets that mount on the cowl flap and 002-410026 for the brackets that mount on the airframe)-with suffix dash numbers to indicate the specific part (e.g. LH inboard, RH outboard, etc). Getting the correct brackets that mount on the cowl flap is no issue, but there are some problems when ordering the correct part that mounts on the airframe. First, these parts are extremely difficult to find in the parts manual but they are there in Figure 9 I A in the F33A parts catalog. The brackets are not identified in the parts explosion pictorial but they are listed on page 9 immediately following item 53 (the bulkhead 10 which they attach). When you look at the pictorial on page 8, you will understand it is difficult to identify item 53 as the bulkhead to which the cowl flaps are hinged, therefore it isn't obvious where to look for the brackets. The second issue is that the relationship between the dash number (e.g. 002-410026-9) and the position description (e.g. RH INBD) is incorrecl in both Ihe V35 alld Ihe F33 parts mallllais (the Model 36 parts manual is correct). Assuming that one is not ordering all four parts, that makes getting the correct part fairly difficult. And since in 2003 these parts ranged between $20-$30 each, I had no desire to order all four dash numbers just to make sure that I got the couple that I needed. I worked with RAPID to notify them of the error, get the correct parts and return the incorrect ones, and they were very helpful. (When I called to complain about getting the wrong part, the RAPID representative was unable to find these items in the parts book either; I had to give him the figure and page number.) However, to my knowledge the parts books have never been updated to correct the error. -Vic Kirkwood, Rhome, Texas Windward Aviation I want to let the membership know about the very pleasant experience I had working with Jim and Reese Leach of Windward Aviation in Lantana, Florida. I hired them to handle a prepurchase inspection on a Bonanza I was interested in obtaining. Their professionalism and expertise were evident immediately when I met them in their spotless shop. They were very straightforward with the details of the inspection and how much it would cost. ABS members who know the Leachs and are close enough to avail themselves of their services are very fortunate. I suggest that anyone looking for knowledgeable Bonanza experts give them a call. Unfortunately, the seller and I could not reach an agreement and I didn't end up with the plane. That did not diminish the experience of working with the Leachs. I've been flying Bonanzas for more than 25 years and have seen a lot of different shops and met many mechanics. I very much appreciated the Leachs' honest opinions and advice. My only regret is that
ecause I'm in California, I can't use them as my regular shop. I highly recommend Windward Aviation. -Keith Paulson. Albion. California Fuel cap O-rings In the January Tech Tips, under the heading of "Fuel cap O-rings," an ABS member asks for a rebuild kit for the cam/locking portion of the fuel cap. I once observed a mechanic using a file to dress up the cam/lock to its original profile. He replaced the O-rings while he had it apart and then adjusted the stem to a satisfactory tension. -Tim Brown, Midlothian. Texas Runaway trim experience I fly an A36 that my company purchased new in 2002. Since purchase, it has accumulated aboUl 500 hours. I recently experienced a problem with my airplane that I wish to share with my fellow ABS members. While on an IFR flight plan in VMC from Northeast Philadelphia Airport (PNE), I had just arrived at my westward cruising altitude of 8,000'. The aircraft was trimmed for cruise flight and the King KFC-225 autopilot was engaged. Suddenly I was looking straight down at the grou nd, the pitch down so fast and violent that my Bose X headset flew from my head. (In fact, after landing I found that the cup-holders on top of the folded table in the cabin had come out and were lying on the floor.) My automatic reaction, fortunatel y, was to reach for and depress the red autopilot disengage button on the yoke and pull the nose back to a level attitude. I do not know how much alt itude I lost, but did notice that in leveling the aircraft I overcorrected by + 200' before getting back to my 8,000' assigned altitude. Then I noticed the flashing red pitch warning light on the autopilot annu nciator panel. I hand-flew the airplane for the remainder of the flight home and within the next couple of days on to the Baltimore facility that maintains the airplane. Upon troubleshooting the problem, it was determined that the pitCh trim servo had experienced an electrical "hard over" and required replacement. At altitude on a VMC day, this type of problem is fairly easily dealt with even though it gets the heart racing after it is over. However, if experienced on a coupled instrument approach in IMC, it could be deadly. In fact, on my arrival at Philadelphia two days prior 10 this problem, I had flown an autopilot-coupled ILS approach in IMC 10 about 500' above minimums. I have been flying since 1971 (the lirst 10 years as a avy pilot). During Ihis past 36 years I have had my share of mechanical problems. but this is my first runaway trim experience. As a pilot of whal I believe to be the finest singleengine airplane in Ihe air today, it is easy to become complacent, ever trusting that its systems wi ll always perform to spec. However, this is testament to what can fail, and if the pilot is not prepared mentally and ever vigilant, can be deadly. -Jim Sturm. Proctorville, Ohio Fuel selector valve Since you posted my origi nal e-mail concerning the fuel selector valve on page 10604 of the January issue, I felt that I should write a follow-up. After going back and forth with Hawker Beechcraft concerning PIN 36-3800 26-1, HIB in Atlanta received the new valve. When they pulled the inoperative valve out of my airplane, it was not the same. An AD had been issued on the original part in the early 1980s. It had been replaced with a new valve of different design-PIN 36-380087-1. The only reason I'm writing this is to hopefully prevent another TC Bonanza owner from going lhrough the two-month exercise that I did to get something done about replacing or overhauling the inoperative valve. According to Beechcrafl, all TCs are now using the new valve PIN 36-380087-1. When we tried to order the new part, we found there was a six-month lead time and that the new valve would cost in excess of $1 ,500! My socks rolled up and down on that piece of information. Now here's the good part: After running into a brick wall finding an overhaul facility, we found The Aviation Group (770-486-1666) in Peachtree City, Georgia, that had the necessary FAA approval to overhaul my valve. The price was S600 instead of the $1.500-plus quoted for a new valve with a six-month lead time. We are up and flying again and the overhauled valve works just fine. I wou ld like to give a special mention to Bob Fullard who superv ised the annual on N236TC at Beechcraft. He busted his butt to get me back in the air. Now you know the rest of the story. -Edward Vernon. Roswell, Georgia Thanks for everything A little late but nonetheless sincere thanks for the super job by Bob Ripley and his staff at the ABS Service Clinic at Hagerstown last November. I always thought I kept my plane in first-class condition, but I came away with two pages of items needing attention. They have all been addressed and I am sure that I now really have a first-class ship. I fly in some really poor weather conditions so I insist that my plane be in the best shape possible. Incidentally, I have had this same plane (H35 - N7977D) since 1964 and have flown it for 8,000 hours and five engines. I have used ABS on many occasions for service assistance and parts location. Your team does a great job and I am grateful. Keep up the good work. Incidentally, I misplaced the clinic decal you gave me and would appreciate a replacement that I will proudly put on my rear window. -Robert D. Jockson Fairfield. Pennsylvania @
Page 1 and 2: THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION FOR BONANZ
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Page 5 and 6: ABS-ASF spar web investigation It i
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Page 9 and 10: Removing the damaged engine. the oi
Page 11 and 12: S@OSH OSHKOSH TENT TOPICS Going to
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Page 17 and 18: Golden Age of Exploration The navig
Page 19 and 20: A good idea that isn't shared is a
Page 21 and 22: Answers are marked with initials of
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Page 25: ABS STORE MERCHANDISE ORDER NO. PRI
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Page 35 and 36: MEMBERS IN THE NEWS MASTER CFI BUSC
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