Some thoughts on retract gear. My first retracts were CAS units and they worked fine but luckily the technology improved quickly. I’m sure you all remember them! For my first and second CAS installation used custom made 180 degree servos that I modified from some World Engines units. Then I used Sonic air cylinders on the second installation and them went back to servos and finally settled on air systems.

I have a Rom-Air tri-gear set in my Howard Engineering Kwik Fli III taper wing and tri-gear Spring Airs in my Tiporare and Blue Angel. Both the Rom-Air and Spring Air systems are excellent quality. I like the fact that the Rom-Airs can stay retracted for transportation and storage and I’ve never had problems with air leaks or extending problems. I made some wire clips to hold the Spring Airs retracted but it is an extra piece of stuff that you’ve got to keep track of. I prefer the steering arm solution used on the Spring Airs compared to the cable steering on the Rom-Airs. The Spring Airs lock the gear strut in the retracted position and the Rom-Airs are partly held in the retracted position by air pressure but I’ve never had problems keeping them retracted. I like the fact that you can reconfigure the air cylinders on the Rom Airs to face outward toward the wing tips. The Sonic system used the same type of air control valve as the Rom-Airs and I never had any problems with it.

In my opinion the Spring Air systems engineering is the best of the current systems that are available new. I guess other leading retract manufacturers think that too because they are making cheap knock-offs of the Spring Airs but they far from the same quality. The Spring Air service and support is absolutely fantastic.

At any rate isn’t it great that we all have aircraft that use retracts!