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Dan's Web Site
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Date: 3-3-2007
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Number of Hours: 1.00
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Manual Reference:
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Brief Description: Lift Plane / Install Landing Gear
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I have been both anxious and reluctant to place my plane on the gear. I was really itching to get it on the gear just because it's another milestone, it looks cool, and I could wheel it around the basement. But at the same time I was also reluctant from a practical standpoint. The plane sits so much taller on the gear which I knew would make it that much more difficult to do the wiring etc without climbing in or standing on a ladder. Before I could just reach in and do whatever I needed to do.
But, alas, my engine should be arriving from AeroSport Power any time now and I need to get the plane on the gear so I can hang the engine, which is even more exciting than getting the plane on its gear.
The first thing I did was secure a strong tie-down strap around every weld on the engine mount. I recently purchased a 1 ton shop hoist from Harbor Freight for $129 so I wheeled that in place, fastened the hook to the tie-down strap and hoisted away. I was absolutely amazed at how high I had to lift the plane in order to insert the main gear legs. I was very nervous about having my plane swinging from a single hook so I did not want to waste any time feeding the legs into their mounts and inserting the bolts. The mains went on fine,,,very easy to insert them into the mounts and very easy to align the holes and insert the single bolt that holds each leg in its mount.
Once the mains were on I lowered the plane onto the gear and remove the hoist and strap. The tail remained low and on the sawhorse I had in the back. There wasn't enough weight up front to bring the nose down.
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Shop hoist lifting plane by engine mount, main gear installed
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Plane on gear! left front view
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Plane on gear! right front view
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