Message-ID: <36C92428.9B323B00@regandesigns.com>
Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 07:54:16 +0000
From: Brent Regan <brent@regandesigns.com>
To: lancair.list@olsusa.com
Subject: Brake Lines
References: <19990216050743.AAA19691@truman.olsusa.com>
Mime-Version: 1.0

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The D&H lines are a high quality, high reliability replacement for nylaflow. They
should not be used as a replacement for hard-line or stainless braid armored line.
If the book calls for nylaflow, use D&H instead and sleep better knowing you
aren't trusting your life to aquarium tubing.

Nylaflow works, I'll give you that, BUT, subject it to the slightest abuse and it
will fail. It will fail at the worst possible time. You have landed long with a
plane full of tourists after a 20 minute sightseeing flight on full tanks. You are
"hard on the binders" as they say, trying to get your over gross bird stopped
before the catch fence. Right at about 30 Kts a short section of nylaflow with a
slight nick in it decides that it has had enough of this and ruptures. Only about
10cc of red oil escapes as your pride and joy veers violently towards the brake
that is still working.

Your ability to control the aircraft is terminated and the ride has begun. After
turning about 45 degrees off of the centerline your foot finally gets the message
and releases the pedal. Nothing changes because that wheel is already off the
ground. There are several outcomes to this scenario, all of them involve damage to
the aircraft. The NTSB report will read ".....pilots failure to maintain
directional control. Contributing factor: Defective brake line." I won't even get
into what happens when your passenger's lawyer finds out that you knowingly used
hardware store tubing for such a critical function because you were too damn cheap
to buy the good stuff.

You get the point.

Brent