Robertson STOL kit

[Scott Ducey]

does anyone have thoughts on this mod? my comanche has this mod on it, and was curious on getting feedback from members on it - good, bad, or otherwise. thanks.

[Zach Grant L1011jock]

Scott,
The Robertson kit is a love hate thing. Some love it, some hate it. I have the kit on my Twin, and find it certainly improves the short field capability of the airplane. Stalls are docile, VMC is lower, and if you get there it simply a rumble and the plane just falls off, almost like a cherokee stall, and it really doesn't slow the plane down that much (about 5 mph down low, but makes book or better up high). Having the 3800# Gross weight really makes the plane useful. Of any of the benefits, this is the one that makes the most sense. If you have a no tip tanks bird, the useful load weight you gain with this mod is another person in the cabin, or all the bags you can fit, anywhere! Even the extra 75# on tip tanked birds is huge as it is all useful load.
-Zach

[Jay]

[Patrick Lust]

I have buy a PA 30 with Robertson stoll kit. No placards for the flaps retractaction. How can I verify if it has the positive retractation kit ? thank you.

[Zach Grant L1011jock]

With the flaps up, go to the left flap, and push down and aft, and if you can get the flap to extend by hand, you do not have the positive retract kit. The right flap has an uplock for the step and will not be able to be moved by hand from up, but will be able to be moved down when flaps are not up. The positive retract system drives the flaps both up and down, while the standard system drives down, and is spring loaded to return to up.
-Zach