Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by William D. Phillips on January 19, 2020 at 11:03pm

Somebody out there in airplane building world has to be as short as us and built a side step. Please share your most useful and brilliant design. Thanks, Bill 

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Permalink Reply by Bob Pustell on January 20, 2020 at 3:26pm

For a basic design idea, look at fixed gear Cessnas. Almost all of them have a gear leg step of some type. Cessna has used a few different designs over the years and most likely you could "borrow" one of their designs and make a similar step for your plane. The gear leg step on my 1958 Cessna 175 also uses the bracket for the step as a mounting bracket location to hold a clamp securing the brake line as it goes down the back of the gear leg on the way to wheel brake. Anytime you can have one part perform two functions it's a good thing.

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Permalink Reply by Carl Orton on January 20, 2020 at 8:04pm

While I'm not the original poster, I'd like a step as well. Unfortunately, on my cruzer, the main gear leg is basically behind the seat, such that any step up would require one being quite limber to swing the leg that far to go in the footwell. My 172 had the main gear leg/step right at the seat, so was quite convenient.

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Permalink Reply by William D. Phillips on January 20, 2020 at 8:59pm

Thanks fellows for the ideas. If I come up with a viable design I will post it here if the forum will allow it. Bill 

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Permalink Reply by Samuel McNair on January 23, 2020 at 8:56pm

I installed simple low drag stirrup type steps to my airframe. Perfect geometry for getting in and out. Stone simple to make and attach see photo .

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Permalink Reply by William D. Phillips on January 24, 2020 at 9:02pm

Thanks Sam for the photo and rely. I think I want something similar to the step on my RV-8a. Solid and strong.

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