Cutlass gear help please!

Airtraffic

Hello! I'm in the process of purchasing a 1981 172RG. I have flown this aircraft previously as a renter, now it's up for sale.

We flew a test flight yesterday, and upon selecting gear down with the handle, the gear safe indication (Green light) took much longer than normal to illuminate. We could see gear down on both sides. I didn't look in the mirror to see the nose gear, but I believe it took a good 20 seconds or so for the green light to come on. Airspeed was about 90 knots.

Does anyone know what the time from selecting gear down to seeing the green gear locked light illuminate should be?

Thanks in advance.

Scott Sherer

Hi and thanks for writing. We all have this in our older retracts. Usually it's a failing or dirty microswitch on the landing gear. Check them out and clean them with brake cleaner or similar. If that doesn't do it, look at replacing them when you buy the plane. Good luck!