King Air B200 Landing gear questions

[Learsforsale]

When did Beech switch from mechanical to hydraulic landing gear in the B200?

What are the advantages/disadvatages?

What does "High Float Gear" mean?

 

[Toobdrvr]

Okay, I'll bite...

Although i never flew a 200, I am familiar with the 90, 99, and 1900...

I think they started offering the hydro system as an option on early 90 Series, as it was more expensive than the mech. Then, as it got more popular, they made the hydro system standard equipment.

The only advantage of the mech gear imho is initial price. The disadvantages of it compared to the hydro system are many (opinion):
Pain to work on
If it fails (bicycle chain), you're screwed.
Noisy

As a matter of fact, my last employer had a 99 with mech gear fail. The pilots chopped through the floorbard with a crash axe and pulled the chain through to get a stuck nose gear down. It worked, but the guy cut his hands up to hell!

To me, hydro is the way to go, as evidenced by how common it is now. It's easy to work on (modular). It's quiet. It's reliable. Gravity-driven backup. etc.

I could be wrong, but I've always equated "High Flotation" with "Big Tires"...

Hope it helps!

 

[Learsforsale]

Although i never flew a 200, I am familiar with the 90, 99, and 1900...

I think they started offering the hydro system as an option on early 90 Series, as it was more expensive than the mech. Then, as it got more popular, they made the hydro system standard equipment.

The only advantage of the mech gear imho is initial price. The disadvantages of it compared to the hydro system are many (opinion):
Pain to work on
If it fails (bicycle chain), you're screwed.
Noisy

As a matter of fact, my last employer had a 99 with mech gear fail. The pilots chopped through the floorbard with a crash axe and pulled the chain through to get a stuck nose gear down. It worked, but the guy cut his hands up to hell!

To me, hydro is the way to go, as evidenced by how common it is now. It's easy to work on (modular). It's quiet. It's reliable. Gravity-driven backup. etc.

I could be wrong, but I've always equated "High Flotation" with "Big Tires"...

Hope it helps!

Thanks, that helps quite a bit.

 

[sleddriver71]

Although i never flew a 200, I am familiar with the 90, 99, and 1900...

I think they started offering the hydro system as an option on early 90 Series, as it was more expensive than the mech. Then, as it got more popular, they made the hydro system standard equipment.

The only advantage of the mech gear imho is initial price. The disadvantages of it compared to the hydro system are many (opinion):
Pain to work on
If it fails (bicycle chain), you're screwed.
Noisy

As a matter of fact, my last employer had a 99 with mech gear fail. The pilots chopped through the floorbard with a crash axe and pulled the chain through to get a stuck nose gear down. It worked, but the guy cut his hands up to hell!

To me, hydro is the way to go, as evidenced by how common it is now. It's easy to work on (modular). It's quiet. It's reliable. Gravity-driven backup. etc.

I could be wrong, but I've always equated "High Flotation" with "Big Tires"...

Hope it helps!

Why would someone go through all that to make sure the nose gear came down. Did one of them own the airplane? Were they trying to impress with their knowledge of the gear system. (I cringe every time I preflight and see the bicycle chain on the nose gear) If my nose gear doesn't go down in any of the King Air 90's I fly, I'm not going to try and be a "hero" (used very loosely here) and risk myself for the airplane. I'll gladly skid the nose down the runway and take the old beast out of service (hopefully). I wonder if these guys are related to anyone who has tried to pull the landing gear down from a car to low flying plane. That is so stupid, that's what insurance is for.

 

[dragland]

High Float Gear is just bigger tires for "unimproved strips", does soften the landings a bit and takes a couple knots off true airspeed (cause the tires hang out a bit farther when retracted). The struts are different also.

 

[NorthShore]

Why would someone go through all that to make sure the nose gear came down. Did one of them own the airplane? Were they trying to impress with their knowledge of the gear system. (I cringe every time I preflight and see the bicycle chain on the nose gear) If my nose gear doesn't go down in any of the King Air 90's I fly, I'm not going to try and be a "hero" (used very loosely here) and risk myself for the airplane. I'll gladly skid the nose down the runway and take the old beast out of service (hopefully). I wonder if these guys are related to anyone who has tried to pull the landing gear down from a car to low flying plane. That is so stupid, that's what insurance is for.

Remind me not to hire this guy

 

[User998]

What about while chopping through the floorboards you sever an ill-placed control cable, fluid line, a motor, or electrical wires, and compound your problems ten-fold?

Was it worth it to get the gear down now? Not saying thats how the 99 is designed, but that'd be a bigger concern for me then getting the gear down.

 

[propsarebest]

if you get one with the hi float gear, get the Raisback gear doors. You will be glad you did.

 

[sleddriver71]

Remind me not to hire this guy

Hey, if you run an operation where this sort of thing is condoned, you can be damn sure I would never work for you. Only a penny pincher of an operator with no concern for the welfare of the pilots would think those stupid antics are even a consideration.

 

[prpjt]

KA 200's after serial # BB1192 are hydraulic gear (with a few exceptions), those previous were mechanical. There are quite a few moving parts in the mechanical system, think lots of weak links and increased maint. cost.

High float gear uses a lower pressure ( larger ) tire. The high float tires don't retract all the way into the well (Raisebeck solves this. Some say the high float gives a better landing but its just a different technique.

I prefer the standard gear due to the few extra knots speed and lower accel stop/go numbers.

Hope that helps.