C-182RG question

[LewisU_Pilot]

Took a Stage 2 Oral the other day. I passed it but was caught up on one of the questions. Why does the gear handle have to be in the down position when using the emergency hand pump? I tried a couple different theory's however I was not successful.

 

[Mmmmmm Burritos]

So you're not fighting the pump

So the pump doesn't come on when you least expect it and put the gear up without you noticing.


It's the same in any retractable with hydraulic or electric gear. If you're putting the gear down normally or through another auxiliary method, put the handle down. Do you really want to land with the handle up even if you pumped the gear down?

 

[LewisU_Pilot]

So you're not fighting the pump

So the pump doesn't come on when you least expect it and put the gear up without you noticing.


It's the same in any retractable with hydraulic or electric gear. If you're putting the gear down normally or through another auxiliary method, put the handle down. Do you really want to land with the handle up even if you pumped the gear down?

Makes perfect sense...Thanks! This is one of those questions you ask and when you find out the answer you ask yourself why you hadn't thought of that.

 

[deez_nutz2000]

Burritos is kind of on the right track, but not really. This may help clear things up.

The 182RG has a electrically-driven, BI-DIRECTIONAL, hydraulic Power Pack. The power pack uses hydraulic pressure to actuate cylinders which retract AND extend the landing gear, where as in Pipers it only holds the gear retracted. When the gear lever is put in GEAR UP or GEAR DOWN, it moves a little "selector valve" which allows the power pack to move pressure in the respective direction to retract or extend the gear. If you leave
the handle in the GEAR UP postion and begin to manually pump the gear, nothing is going to happen (you could overpressurize the system). You need to move the handle down to rotate the valve to allow the pressure your creating while pumping to "push" the gear down and reach the down-lock actuators.

You should really only have to pump the gear down in an alternator failure, power pack failure, etc. scenario. If you have a loss of hydraulic fluid (leak, etc.), you're f**cked anyhow...unless you can get some type of fluid in the reservior. I've heard many creative responses to this...pop, water, bodily fluids, etc...to create some pressure in the system to move the gear actuators. At this point, your gear is hanging like a duck's feet...not enough pressure to hold it up and not enough to lock it down. Keep in mind that if you are trying to conserve battery power for avionics (consider being in IMC, nav radios for approach, etc.) pumping the gear is a must or you'll suck every ounce of juice out of that battery...i would land no flap as well. Just extra considerations when you transition into bigger and better a/c.

 

[deez_nutz2000]

Anybody else with any cessna rg time agree? It's been awhile since i flew the mighty sky-donkey.

 

[freeflyer14]

Slightly wrong.... The 182RG has a ONE WAY Directional pump, not BI directional as deez nutz had said. It is the plumbing of the 2 lines (through the selector valve) which controls movement of the pressure to the actuators. There is one line out of the pack for pressure, and one which acts as a return line. The reason that the handle must be in the down postion is that the handle moves the plumbing in the gear selector valve to open the return line for fluid back to the pack. In the up position, you would just be trying to pump fluid to the actuator with no return line, which dezz nutz correctly pointed out could over-pressurize the system and obviously would cause no work. So the short answer would be it opens up the reutrn line to the reservoir, to allow fluid to flow through the system.

 

[illinipilot]

Shouldn't you just ask your instructor?... Oh wait..... I'm a dumba$$.....annnnd I'm your instructor. Freeflyer is right, you need to open the return line so that you aren't pumping against 1000 - 1200 psi or whatever it is. thanks freeflyer... I need a cookie

yesimawesome

 

[midlifeflyer]

Shouldn't you just ask your instructor?... Oh wait..... I'm a dumba$$.....annnnd I'm your instructor.

I love it! I haven't laughed so hard since a student of mine posted a question on a forum and one of the kind folks there told my student I was an idiot.

 

[wrigley23]

Freeflyer is right on. Dammit, I had almost forgotten my "I hope we make it back in one piece" Cutlass/Skylane RG experiences. But it was fun watching a student with the oh Shiit look after you pulled the circuit breaker 15 minutes ago (green light, one in the window, wait, it's not there). Well, whatta you gonna do now? Pump that baby down! It's a better workout than going to the gym.

 

[troy]

who wants to pump UP the gear anyway?

 

[Tinstaafl]

If you have limited fuel, in the middle of nowhere and need max. range then getting the gear up is significant. Can happen in the 'GAFA' (the Great Australian F&*k All).

Interestingly the manual pump in Piper Aztecs is a direct replacement for the engine driven pump(s) so gear & flap can be pumped up or down to your hearts content. Rather important on the unmodified single eng. pump models if that donk is the one to quit...

 

[LewisU_Pilot]

Shouldn't you just ask your instructor?... Oh wait..... I'm a dumba$$.....annnnd I'm your instructor. Freeflyer is right, you need to open the return line so that you aren't pumping against 1000 - 1200 psi or whatever it is. thanks freeflyer... I need a cookie

yesimawesome

Hey...You should be up reviewing those Commerical maneuvers for Mondays lesson. 930am sharp!! I want to hall ass on stage 3 and be done with it by beginning of Fall 04 semester.