Landing Gear Struts (Steel or Aluminum)

I could certainly be wrong too. I just don't see anything on the ACA website corresponding to a wings-only gross increase option for the Decathlon. You would think they would be touting that benefit to drive sales of $30K wing kits.
 
Ed, I'm pretty sure you're right about me being wrong. The Citabria models get the 100# gross weight increase by changing only the wings to factory metal spar wings. The Super Decathlon does not. But, I don't know what the steel gear leg upgrade is that they're referring to in Service Letter 423, maybe Scout tall gear legs? So I was wrong, the Super D needs both the factory wings and the aluminum gear to make the 150# utility category weight increase possible or the wings and the steel gear upgrade but I don't know what that's referring to.


Here's the text of the Service Letter

American Champion Aircraft Corp.
Rochester, WI 53167


Service Letter: 423

Date: March 8, 2004

Title: Optional 8KCAB Normal Category Gross Weight Increase

Models: 8KCAB aircraft serial numbers 643-91 and later or any serial number that has 7-1535 wing
frames or 7-1521 covered wing frames and an AEIO-360-H1A or AEIO-360-H1B engine
installed.

Description: Retrofit of aircraft with 4-2035 aluminum gear legs or 4-2038 steel gear legs allows for
Normal Category operations up to a gross weight of 1950 lbs. Normal Category operations
are restricted to + 3.8g and –1.52g limit loads. The Acrobatic Category envelope remains
unchanged; the limit loads remain +6.0g and –5.0g at weights below 1800 lbs.

Required Steps:

1. Retrofit with 4-2035 aluminum gear legs per ACAC service letter 422 or install 4-2038 steel
gear legs per ACAC drawing 7-1307 (rev. M or later). Gear leg serial numbers should be
recorded in an aircraft logbook entry.
2. Update accelerometer range markings as follows:
Green Arc –1.52 to +3.8
Yellow Arcs –5.0 to –1.52 and +3.8 to +6.0
Red Radial Lines –5.0 and +6.0
3. Replace 1-10613 with 1-10613-1 placard.
4. Add flight manual supplement, dated 10-15-2003, to existing flight manual.
Click to expand...
 
Just be sure the paperwork demonstrates that you are within limits. These things will lift anything you can shoehorn in.

That said, I do love the aluminum gear legs. Metal spar wings, on the other hand, have several problems.
 
What problems are you referring to Bob? The fuel tanks and the aileron hinges for the new ailerons have both been strengthened. What problems are left?
 
We had the lift strut attach fittings looking like phyllo dough - sorry, it's a Greek thing. Picture a fitting made from laminated paper with talcum powder for effect. And then there was something about ailerons . . .

Oops - you mentioned the aileron thing. Wasn't there something about rib attachments?

If the visible fittings disintegrated, one has to wonder about similar machined aluminum fittings. I became a big fan of steel fittings after seeing that.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top