THE

GEAR RETRACTION SPORTPLANE

DETAILS
BUILDER
By Antom (TonyI Bmgelis
EAA Detiignee Program Advisor

8509 Greenflint Lane

Austin, Texas 78759

E YOU DECIDE to equip your airplane with a

retractable gear, no blank piece of paper, no tablecloth,
or napkin will ever again be safe from your sketches
and doodles of retractable gear details. I dare say that
by the time the gear construction is underway you will
have become thoroughly familiar with the theory of fold-
ing landing gear mechanisms. After that, all that re-
mains is the job of changing theory to substance by con-
structing it and making it work smoothly and consis-
tently (ha!). Simple paper sketches often fail to convey
the complexity of construction, alignment and adjust-
ment. This is uniquely true when you undertake to de-
velop a retractable gear installation in an airplane orig-
inally designed for a fixed gear.
Modifying an airplane that you had no part in de-
signing must never be taken lightly. Sure, a few build- The view is from the front of the spar. The gear is down and
ers have successfully done so, but even most of them the lock (A) is not yet engaged. Retraction lever is against
express doubts that they would ever again attempt such the stop bracket (B), a little more adjusting is needed here.
a conversion. They say it is not worth the effort; that
you would often find yourself rebuilding as much as 50
percent of the structure, and with each part made and
installed, some other part would have to be moved, re-
moved or redesigned . . . all of which in turn forced still
other changes. Weeks would often stretch into months
and what had originally seemed to be a simple under-
taking drags out for a year or more . . . sometimes with
disappointing results. Sounds discouraging, doesn't it?
But, let's take an objective look and see what is really
involved in building a retractable gear installation; and
then, you decide for yourself.

The Gear Legs

Retractable gear legs (struts) are no different than
those used in fixed gear installations. I've seen oleo
struts, slab spring gear legs, Wittman whip-rod legs,
and welded steel tube truss gear legs all successfully
modified for retraction. So, the type of gear leg used
should not, of itself, present an insurmountable conver-
sion problem to a determined builder.
Far better than building the entire gear would be
the acquisition and adaptation of stock gear legs (com-
plete with the retraction mechanism) removed from
some demised type-certificated aircraft. Since a lot of
machine shop work would ordinarily go into a retract-
able gear, this acquisition would eliminate most of that
expensive work.
Builders, being an innovative lot, have cannibalized
and used assemblies from aircraft like the Culver, Nav-
ion, the Piper Arrow and others. This approach, how-
ever, is frought with difficulties and can sometimes re-
sult in a botched-up structure much less a botched-up
landing gear weighing more, and costing much more,
than if the builder had stayed with the designer's origi-
nal plans.
40 MARCH 1980
Note that this is a rear view of the gear position shown in
photo #1. To the left is the heavy garage door spring which
helps in raising the gear. On the right is the worm gear as-
sembly with the torque tube running to the cockpit manual
retract ratchet.
The Jack Points
Sometime during construction you have to decide
where to install three external jack points. Yes sir! Two
jack points are not enough, not for a retractable gear
airplane. The three jack points are as necessary as are
three special (tall) jacks which will be used henceforth
to provide the means for raising the aircraft high
enough to clear the landing gear for retraction testing,
not only during construction but later for the annual in-
spections.
You may even have to modify three regular jacks so
that the aircraft can be raised high enough.
 If the jack points are not properly located on the air-
craft, you might have to attach weights to the tail-end
or tie it down to keep the airplane from tilting . . . it all
depends on the location of the main jack points. Re-
member too, retraction tests will have to be performed
at least annually.

The Trunnions
In order to make a gear leg retractable, its upper end
must be attached to some sort of a trunnion. Unlike the
attachment bracket which immobilizes the fixed gear leg
to the structure, the trunnion provides the support and
pivot axis necessary in a retractable installation. A
trunnion suspends the gear, usually between the main
spar and an auxiliary spar.
You might get lucky and locate a couple of stock This is a front view of the gear in the partially retracted posi-
trunnion castings which could be adapted to the gear tion. (A) and (B) make up the down lock assembly. (C) is the
legs you will be using, otherwise you will have to fabri- heavy reinforcement plate for the spar. (F) is the swivel axis
cate your own. Anyway, not all aircraft utilize cast- for the retraction linkage and (D) is the trunnion axis. Gear
a l u m i n u m trunnions . . . some, l i k e the Beechcraft installation requires a large hole through the spar.
Bonanza, stay with the sturdy built-up welded steel tube
trusses. Constructing this type structure is well within
the capabilities of the average builder.
Some designs incorporate a large tube welded to the
upper gear leg. It serves as a trunnion and pivot axis for
the gear leg. This suspension method is often used in
lightweight retractables, but because only one end of the
installation is supported, it can result in unusual loads
being imposed on the spar. Not only is a large hole
through the spar necessary to accommodate it ... the
spar and the adjoining structure must be beefy enough
to take the landing and taxiing stresses. If your spar de-
sign cannot accommodate such a large hole, or if the
hole must be drilled too close to the top or bottom edges
of the spar, a failed spar could be the future consequence
. . . and what if that should happen in flight? Certainly,
a careful calculation should first be made to determine if
the spar can handle this type of installation.
A rear view of the partially raised gear as shown in Photo
Let me interject a note of caution by saying, no build- #3. (F) torque tube to cockpit ratchet. (A) is the worm gear
er should attempt to install a retractable gear that re- assembly, (C) lever bolted to the trunnion is connected to
quires modification of essential structure without first the heavy spring to ease retraction chore. (B) is the rear
working a stress analysis for the change. Of course, each reinforcement plate for the spar/gear assembly.
builder must evaluate his own qualifications in this re-
gard if he intends to decide on his own whether or not
his changes will weaken the structure.
If welding is necessary to modify the attachment
area of the gear legs, there will always be the risk that
the oleo mechanism could become damaged or distorted.
On the other hand, shock struts utilizing coil springs in-
stead of oleos are less sensitive to the effects of distor-
tion from welding. Nevertheless, the welds must be good
and the distortion must be controlled within acceptable
limits. The alignment of each attachment point is al-
ways critical because some gear installations cannot
be adjusted for toe-in or toe-out once completed and in-
stalled.

Shock Struts and Scissors

Since any good retractable gear will have some shock
absorbing capability, this provision can sometimes re-
sult in conflicting measurements. For example, the gear
legs will ordinarily measure longer when retracted than
when under load on the ground. The wheel-well dimen-
sions and even their shape and location should take this
into account. Don't let your first retraction test surprise
you with a gear that won't fit into the wheel wells.
The primary function of a scissors assembly is to
hold the wheel in correct alignment and to keep it from
swiveling like a bar stool.
The scissors may be positioned as necessary during
construction to keep them from protruding when re-
Here is a pair of side mounted scissors. Note the external
rebound spring arrangement on the opposite side of the
strut.
tracted, or from interfering with any of the aircraft
structure. Scissors do not have to be located in front or
back of the strut. A number of aircraft have them
situated on one side or other. This determination, how-
ever, will have to be made prior to the jigging and weld-
ing.
SPORT AVIATION 41
 Of interest in this photo are the gear door linkage and the
simple clamping method for the brake line.

Here it is, the Cvjetkovic retractable gear in Its simple glory.
The Boston gear and worm gear are mounted in a bracket
attached to the heavy rear plate. When mounted, one plate
bolts on either side of the main spar. The stop bracket be-
tween the gear leg and the retracting lever is not adjusted in
this photo.
Actually, the photo is ot a waco Meteor, but the gear is al-
most identical to that of the Falco. This view of the main
strut (A) shows the squared bottom of the strut and landing
gear door details.

Retraction Methods
Before construction proceeds too far, a method of re-
traction must be selected. It will undoubtedly be a man-
ual, electric, or a hydraulic one . . . and probably in that
order of preference initially.
If you elect to build an electric or hydraulic system,
you will have to provide an alternate or standby
emergency extension system. This is usually a manual
system.

Manual Retraction is the most reliable and the least

expensive of the three to install. It entails only a
minimum of maintenance and best of all, an alternate or
back-up system is not needed. Manual systems work
through direct linkage from the cockpit control handle,
or lever to the individual gear legs using gears, univer-
sal joints and torque tubes. To aid in retracting the
main landing gear, large springs (usually garage door
springs) are hooked into the linkage.
Manual systems require either a cockpit located con-
trol lever (as in the Mooney), a conveniently located
hand crank or a ratchet. A manual lever-operated sys-
tem permits you to raise the gear quickly with one con-
tinuous sweep of the lever, while the hand crank ar-
rangement is much slower and requires considerable
cockpit activity on your part during its operation.
Electrical Retraction is more sophisticated and
seems to appeal to more builders. The heart of this sys-
tem is the electric motor which is geared and slowed
42 MARCH I960
The Falco gear is electric, and to prevent accidental gear re-
traction on the ground, the micro switch (B), mounted on the
gear leg (C) prevents the circuit from operating until after
take-off when the aircraft's weight is removed from the
shock strut. Note the routing of the brake hose (D).
down to provide the brute force necessary to do the job.
In addition, the installation requires additional gears
comprising a jack shaft arrangement to convert the
motor's rotary motion into the push-pull action required
to retract the gear.
The gear retraction switch is installed so that when
it is in the UP position, the geared motor hums into ac-
tion, causing the gear to rise to its fully retracted and
UP-locked position. When the gear switch is flipped
DOWN, the UP-lock is released, the motor reverses and
the gear is extended to a fully down and locked position.

Hey, Falco builders, this is what the Falco gear looks like. It
is a trailing beam type. The bottom of the main strut (A) is
square while the upper leg is round. How about that!
However, this is too simple an arrangement and may
cause you unbelievable embarrassment should "anyone"
accidentally flip the switch to the UP position while the
aircraft is still on the ground. To save yourself from fu-
ture embarrassment, you can install an electrically op-
erated safety switch which will not allow the retraction
system to work when the gear switch is flipped to the
UP position until the weight of the aircraft is off the
gear. (See photo)
Hydraulic Retraction systems in homebuilts are
comparatively rare. They are often more complex sys-
tems made up of surplus actuating cylinders, selector
and sequence valves and other hydraulic components all
interconnected with tubing. In hydraulic retraction gear
systems, the downlocks and uplocks are ordinarily oper-
ated hydraulically.
After you consider the advantages and limitations of
each of the three systems, it is difficult not to conclude
that the manual system has to be the most practical of
the retraction systems for light homebuilts. The electric
retract system would, of course, run a close second
choice. I suppose the deciding factor would be the avail-
ability or non-availability of the major components.
. . . And What About The Retractable Nose Gear?
A retractable nose wheel introduces more complexity
because some means must be built in which will permit
it to be steered while on the ground and not while air-
borne. Some way must also be worked out to guarantee
that the wheel does not get cocked crosswise during re-
traction, and finally you may have to add a shimmy
damper to make the wheel behave during take-off.
An airplane with a non-retractable, but steerable
nose wheel provides pleasurable ground handling as it
responds immediately and in direct proportion to rudder
pedal input. But providing the same capability in a re-
tractable nose wheel takes a bit of mechanical ingenuity
because it must be built to automatically disengage the
rudder pedal steering when the nose gear is retracted.
One way you can achieve this capability is to build in
an automatic disconnect feature similar to that used for
the ailerons in folding wing installations.
A bell crank operated directly by the rudder pedals is
positioned to make positive contact against a couple of
rollers fitted to the ends of a horn (bell crank) mounted
on top of the nose gear strut. As long as the nose gear is
extended, the bell crank (connected to the rudder pedals
with push-pull tubes) works against the nose gear roll-
ers transmitting the rudder pedal action directly to the
nose gear causing it to respond. Then, anytime the gear
•X
This Beechcraft Bonanza landing gear trunnion (B) is welded
of aircraft tubing. Braces (C) are part of the trunnion assem-
bly, all of which is welded to the main gear leg. Tubing in the
foreground comprises the retracting linkage.
A retractable gear with its trunnion projecting through the
spar. Assemblies are comparatively simple until all the
mechanism is finally installed and adjusted.
is retracted, the rollers move away from the rudder
pedal operated bell crank (horn), effectively moving it
away from all rudder pedal input. The rudder pedals are
now free to operate the rudder only and it is not until
the nose gear is once again extended that the pedals
take on the additional duty of providing steering input
to the nose wheel. On the ground the steerable nose
wheel imposes a noticeable increase in the rudder pedal
load.
And finally, a nose wheel centering device must be
devised to insure that the nose wheel is not cocked dur-
ing retraction. If the proper geometry can be built into
the retracting mechanism, the nose wheel will automat-
SPORT AVIATION 43
ically center itself in the neutral position as the gear re-
tracts.
Landing Gear Warning Systems
Faulty gear? That raises the question . . . How do
you know if the gear is faulty? How do you know it is
down and locked . . . or retracted?
To guard against an inadvertent gear-up landing, all
retractable gear aircraft must have warning systems
which are automatically activated when the throttle is
pulled back below normal approach power settings and
the gear is not down and locked. Most factory-built re-
tractables have a manual cut-out feature to inactivate
the infernal racket of the gear warning buzzer (horn).
After doing so, should you fail to reset the system you
will have eliminated your safety warning feature.
Your retractable must, therefore, be equipped with
the traditional micro and limit switches which cause
lights, buzzers and even mechanical indicators to acti-
vate, showing you . . . nay, proving that the landing
gear is down and locked, or that it is doing something
else you may not want it to do.

What Others Have Done . . .

Among the retractable homebuilts now flying it is
difficult to single out any particular retractable landing
gear design as being more popular, more successful or
more prevalent than any other.
One frequently used retractable gear design is the
one engineered especially for the CA-65 by Anton Cvjet-
kovic. It made the homebuilt scene sometime around Aft mounted scissors (A). A very simple installation.
1966. This gear was among the first designs to receive
the attention of homebuilders who wanted to convert
their fixed gear installation to a more sophisticated re-
tractable mode. Undoubtedly, one good reason for its
popularity may be attributed to the fact that plans were
immediately available. And another because of its sim-
ple and very light manual gear retraction system . . .
one that requires very little machine shop work. Be-
cause of these attributes, variations of this gear appear
in more homebuilt retractables than any other design.

The Cvjetkovic Retractable Gear

The Cvjetkovic gear was originally intended for use
in low-wing aircraft grossing up to 1500 pounds. It is a
surprisingly light landing gear for a retractable and
when equipped with 500 x 5 wheels, weighs a mere 73
pounds. In comparison, the Emeraude's fixed cantilever
strut gear weighs a hefty 75 to 78 pounds. However, in
all fairness, I should point out that the Emeraude gear
utilizes the larger, heavier 600 x 6 wheels and is better
suited to rough field operations.
Other interesting features of the Cvjetkovic design
are also attractive to the homebuilder. Besides the
minimum machine work required, the gears, universals
and bronze bushings are standard commercial parts. The
Cvjetkovic gear, too, employs the ordinary easy-to-obtain
coiled springs used in garage door mechanisms. These
springs are pre-stretched inside the wing to help ease
the manual cranking load during the retraction effort.
In its original configuration, the gear was cranked up
with a b u i l t - i n standard 3/8 inch drive ratchet
positioned between the seats. To operate the system, all
you had to do was to pull the manual down lock release
and ratchet away. The gear retracts slowly because it
takes about 14 flips of the ratchet handle to get it up all
the way. But for simplicity, it is hard to match.
Although there are numerous adaptations of the
Cvjetkovic among the homebuilt retractables, there are
perhaps as many flying around with retractable gear
systems salvaged from certificated aircraft.
44 MARCH 1980
A nose gear with its forward mounted scissors (A) and
shimmy damper (B). Not all nose gear designs require
shimmy dampers, but when they do, they need them badly
as nose gear structure can't take much vibration.
In addition to the retractable plans available from
Cvjetkovic, I understand that the Sidewinder and the
Hawker Hurricane designs' retractable gear plans may
likewise be purchased separately. Look through the
classified advertisements in the last few issues of
SPORT AVIATION for the addresses and costs. You
may even find others listed by the time you read this.
Well?
No matter how you look at it, constructing and in-
stalling a retractable landing gear is a long, expensive
ego trip and one should ponder it a lifetime before em-
barking on it. For my part, I would never build a re-
tractable tricycle gear job like the Falco if it didn't look
so good with the wheels tucked up.