Canuck
David Megginson
- Joined
- Mar 31, 2016
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I haven't been able to get to the airport for nearly two months -- since early August -- because I've been travelling almost continuously during that time. When I got back today, I found a completely-flat left main strut.
This has happened to me a couple of times before over the years, always when the plane hasn't flown for a couple of months. Repeated maintenance on the strut doesn't change it. The left strut is usually the downwind strut when I'm parked (my spot faces south), so the wind lifts the right wing and presses down on the left.
My theory for why the strut goes flat after two months of sitting around but not two months of flying is that the seal dries out when there's no fluid sloshing up on it, as there would be during flying and taxiing. Does that theory hold any water (so to speak)? Any suggestions, other than "don't go two months without flying"?
Thanks, David
This has happened to me a couple of times before over the years, always when the plane hasn't flown for a couple of months. Repeated maintenance on the strut doesn't change it. The left strut is usually the downwind strut when I'm parked (my spot faces south), so the wind lifts the right wing and presses down on the left.
My theory for why the strut goes flat after two months of sitting around but not two months of flying is that the seal dries out when there's no fluid sloshing up on it, as there would be during flying and taxiing. Does that theory hold any water (so to speak)? Any suggestions, other than "don't go two months without flying"?
Thanks, David
