And this is just a builder hint. I was really getting tired of the hassle required to raise and lower the nose gear so I could work around it for the plumbing. You have to release the overcenter lock, and then lift the gear. Or you can leave the "broom handle" in so the gear doesn't lock, but you still end up struggling to get the gear up and hold it there.

Well, I discovered that if you use about five feet of faily large line, you can push on the overcenter and pull the gear up, no problem. This is a tie-off line from a sailboat and not just braided line, but anything will work. Pull it up, take about three wraps around the fuselage between the nose hatch and the canard cutout and there you have it. To lower, just loosen and play out the line.

For me this was a huge labor saver.

3/11/2010   Picture 92