Intersection fairing attachment

[alcladrv]

On the main gear legs of my -7A, with the upper intersection fairings attached to the fuselage and the lower intersection fairings attached to the wheel fairings, should the gear leg fairing itself be attached:

a) to both top & bottom intersection fairings

OR

b) to the upper intersection fairing only

OR

c) to neither intersection fairing and allowed to "float" between the upper and lower?

Just wondering what gives the most durable installation.

Thanks, Mike

 

[Rick_A]

Hose clamp at top

The plans call for a hose clamp to be used at the top of the leg fairing. The drawing shows where "fingers" are cut on each side at the top of the fairing.

The plans also specify that the fingers need to be reinforced with a couple of extra layers of glass.

 

[Rick6a]

......OR....c) to neither intersection fairing and allowed to "float" between the upper and lower?....

Mike,

The gear legs will normally flex a little or a lot, depending upon loading conditions at any given moment. Some deflection can be even be noticeable to an observer standing off at a distance when a pilot or passenger climbs up on the wing walk, especially so if the person or persons weighs in at 200 lbs+. Add a rough taxi surface or bouncing it in during a sloppy landing and it becomes obvious the gear legs can be subjected to a wide range of loading conditions. Therefore, the correct answer to your multiple choice question is "C."