P.S. Can't they make a safety switch so that gear can't be retracted on the ground?
Yes, some planes have a "squat switch" to prevent such an occurrence. Of course, it introduces a bit more complexity, cost, and another failure point in the system. Damned if you do, damned if you don't....
On the 172RG I did my Commercial training in, the squat switch was located on the nose gear. It is a required part of the preflight. Just basically what amounts to a microswitch that's activated by the weight on the nose strut. Be certain it has no garbage in and around it that may serve to impede or make/break contact when you don't want it to.
Yep.
You can bet your last penny I looked at that one several times during the preflight.
Retracts are nice, indeed, but down and welded beats havin' to check for three in the green for this boy.
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