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Landing gear
The main structural component of an
Aircraft

aircraft that supports the weight of the
aircraft on land and water.
LANDING GEAR
Systems

FLARE IN LANDING
 The flare follows the final approach phase and
precedes the touchdown and roll-out phases of
landing. In the flare, the nose of the plane is raised,
slowing the descent rate and therefore creating a
softer touchdown, and the proper attitude is set for
touchdown.

 When you fly towards an airport with the intention

of landing, you are descending. The aircraft nose is
pointed downwards, towards the runway. If you did
not do any control inputs, you would land hard. And
CHARLES AUGUSTUS LINDBERGH likely on the nose wheel if you have tricycle gear.

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FLARE IN LANDING purpose

 So, instead of smashing into
the runway, you pitch up at  Supports the aircraft during ground
exactly the right moment, and operations
your rate of descent is slowed
to near zero. Then, you fly  Cushions the landing impact
level above the runway.  Dampens vibrations while taxing and
Energy dissipates, the aircraft
slows further. You pitch up a towing
little more, the aircraft settles  Provides a means for controlling the
gently onto main landing gear.
A few seconds later the nose aircraft on ground
wheel settles gently onto the The photo shows the effect of
runway. not flaring properly. Expensive
prop strike.

requirements
 Shock absorber
– Must be able to absorb the energy developed by the
airplane in dropping from a specified height at
maximum landing weight
 Drop test
 A positive means must be provided to maintain
the landing gear in the extended position when
the aircraft is on ground.
– Safety switches
– Down locks
– Ground locks (Safety pins or clips)

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Requirements
 Emergency means  Warning
– for extending the landing gear must be – Land planes must be provided with an aural warning
device that functions continuously if the throttles are
provided in case of probable failure in the closed and the landing gear is not extended and
extending system. locked.
 Indication – If manual shut off is provided for the warning device,
it must be installed in such a way that it will reset
– Indication must be provided for the pilot if the when the throttles are opened.
landing gear is secured in the extended or
retracted position.  Control knob
 Red light – Must be shaped like a small wheel and tire.
 Green light – Must be located forward of the throttles.
– Must be easily operable by both the pilot and copilot.

classification
 Based on function (purpose)
Main landing gear
– Main landing gear
– Auxiliary landing gear  Provides main support of the airplane both on
 Based on arrangement land and water.
– Conventional landing gear  May include combination of
– Tricycle landing gear – wheels
 Based on dissipation of the landing energy – floats and skis
– Non- absorbing landing gear. – shock absorbing equipment
– Shock absorbing landing gear. – Brakes
 Based on external configuration – retracting mechanisms
– Fixed landing gear – Cowling and fairing
– Retractable landing gear – structural members and
 Based on no of wheels – hardware
– Single wheel landing gear
– Multiple wheel landing gear

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Auxiliary landing gear

 May consists of
– A tail or nose wheel
– Skids
– Pontoons
– Cowling and reinforcements

Auxiliary
Conventional landing gear
gear
 Consists of
– Two main wheels ( forward of the CG) and one tail
wheel
– Seldom used on modern aircraft
– Advantages
 Provides good propeller-ground clearance
 Advantageous if aircraft operates on rough field
– Disadvantages
 Restricted visibility
 Nosing over
 Ground looping

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Tricycle landing gear

 Two main wheels (aft of the CG) and a
nose wheel
 Widely used on modern airplanes
 Advantages
– Allows more forceful application of the brakes
with out nosing over
– Offers better visibility
– Tends to prevent ground looping

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Non absorbing landing gears Non absorbing landing gear

 Don't have the means to dissipate the landing
energy.
 The initial shock of landing absorbed by this
types of landing gears is returned back to the
aircraft structure at a later time.
 Include
– Rigid landing gear
– Shock chord landing gear
– Spring type landing gear

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Absorbing landing
Absorbing landing gear
gear
 This type of landing gear dissipates the landing
energy through some means.
 This is done usually by forcing a hydraulic fluid
through an orifice, which generates heat .
– The heat is dissipated into the surrounding
atmosphere.
 types
– Spring oleo type landing gear
– Air oleo type landing gear

Fixed landing gear Fixed landing gear

 This type of landing gear has a fixed
attachment on the aircraft structure.
 Remains exposed to the air stream during
flight increasing drag.
 Fairings and wheel pants can be used to
reduce drag.

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Retractable landing gear

 Can be drawn (retracted) into a housing
on the fuselage or the wings during flight.
 This reduces drag at the expense of added
weight for the retracting and extending
systems.

Retractable landing gear Multiple wheel landing gear

 spreads the weight of the aircraft on a
larger area.
 Provides a safety margin if a tire fails.

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Major landing gear components

 Landing gear assemblies are made up of various
components designed to support and stabilize
the assembly.
– Trunnion
– Strut
– Piston
– Torque links
– Truck
– Drag link
– Side brace link

trunnion Landing gear

support
 Is the portion of the landing gear beam
assembly which is attached to the
airframe.
 It is supported at it’s ends by bearing
assemblies which allow the gear to pivot
during extension and retraction.
 The landing gear strut extends down from
the approximate center of trunnion.

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trunnion

strut strut
 The vertical member of the landing gear
assembly that contains the shock
absorbing mechanism.
 The top of the strut is attached to ,or is an
integral part, of the trunnion.
 The strut forms the cylinder of the air oleo
shock absorber.
 It is also called the outer cylinder.

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piston
 Is the moving part in the air oleo type shock strut
 It fits inside the strut.
 It’s bottom portion is attached to the axle or
other component on which the axle is mounted.
 It is also called piston rod, piston tube and
inner cylinder.

torque links
 Are two airframe type members used to
connect the strut cylinder to the piston
and axle.
 The torque links restrict the extension of
the piston during gear retraction and hold
the wheel and axle in a correctly aligned
position in relation to the strut.
 They are also called “scissors ”

piston

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truck
 Is used when wheels are used in tandem
or in a dual tandem arrangement.
 Is located on the bottom of the piston
with the axles attached to it.
 It can tilt fore and aft at the piston
connection to allow for changes in aircraft
attitude during take off, landing and
taxiing.
 It is also called a “BOGIE”

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Drag link
 Is designed to stabilize the landing gear
assembly longitudinally.
 It is hinged at the middle if the landing
gear retracts forward or aft to allow the
gear to retract.
 It is also called a drag strut.

Side brace link

 Is designed to stabilize the landing gear
assembly laterally.
 It is hinged in the middle if the landing
gear retracts sideways to allow for
retraction.
 It is also called the “side strut”

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Wheels, floats, and skis Floats

 Wheels
– Are used for operation on land.
 Floats
– Are used for operation on water.
 Skis
– Are used for operation on ice.

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skis Shock absorbing mechanisms

 shock chord
 Spring gear
 Spring –oleo strut
 Air-oleo strut

Shock chord
 Is a tightly wound rubber chord mounted in such a way
that it will stretch during the landing touch down.
 The stretched chord stores the initial landing impact
 The stored energy is returned to the aircraft structure
during the landing roll.
 Must be replaced periodically, especially if it is over 5
years.
 Is color coded to indicate when it was manufactured.

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Spring gear
 Is a single tapered strip or tube of strong
spring steel bolted to a heavy structural
member of the aircraft.
– The axle is bolted to this strut.
 The strut flexes and stores the initial
landing impact.
 The stored energy is returned to the
aircraft structure during the landing roll.

Spring-oleo shock strut Continued…

 Consists of  Operation
– a piston and cylinder arrangement – when the airplane is airborne
 the strut is extended.
 Provides an oil chamber and an orifice through
 Oil flows to the lower chamber.
which oil is forced during landing.
– When the airplane lands
– A heavy coiled spring  The piston with the orifice is forced into the cylinder
 The oil is forced through the orifice into the upper chamber.
 The metered oil flow provides a cushioning effect to absorb
the primary shock of landing.
– After touch down
 The strut collapses and the spring is compressed.
 Thus the spring supports the weight of the aircraft on ground, and
during taxing.

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Air-oleo shock strut Continued……..

 Consists of  Operation
– An outer cylinder – When aircraft is airborne
– A piston  The lower chamber is filled with oil and the upper
chamber with air.
– The piston with a tapered metering pin or
tube can move up and down through the
cylinder.
– The lower chamber is filled with oil ,and the
upper chamber with air.

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Continued……
– During touch down
 The piston with the metering pin moves into the
cylinder forcing the oil through the orifice.
 The metered flow reduces the speed at which the
piston moves into the cylinder.
 This gives a cushioning effect to reduce the shock
of landing.

 As the oil moves into the upper chamber the air is

compressed providing more cushioning effect.
 The compressed air will support the weight of the
aircraft on ground.
 A snubber device prevents the strut from
extending too rapidly during take off or during a
bad landing.

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Centering devices Centering cams

 The nose wheel piston can swivel inside  A cam ring is installed near the top of the
the cylinder to allow steering on ground. piston to form the upper cam.
 Provision must be made to establish the  Another cam is mounted inside the bottom
wheel alignment in a straight ahead of outer cylinder.
direction when the gear is retracted.  When the strut is fully extended, the cam
 This is done by:- faces mate aligning the nose wheel in a
– External mechanical centering devices or straight ahead direction.
– Centering cams

Centering cam  The following features are also present on shock

struts.
– A fluid filler inlet and air valve
 For servicing the shock struts with oil and air
– Packing gland
 To seal the sliding joint between the outer and lower
cylinders.
– Packing gland Wiper rings
 To keep the sliding surface of the piston free from dirt, dust,
mud ice and snow.
– Locking or disconnect pin
 To allow quick turning of the aircraft on ground
– Jacking points and towing lugs
– Instruction plate
 Servicing procedures
 Correct type of hydraulic fluid

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Servicing shock struts

 Proper fluid and air pressure must be
maintained for efficient operation of shock
struts.
 To check fluid level
– The shock strut must be deflated and
compressed

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procedures Air Valve

 Position the aircraft in a normal ground
position. AN 812 AN6287-1 MS28889

 Remove the cap from the air valve.

 Check the swivel nut for tightness.
 Release air pressure trapped between the
valve seat and valve core.
 Remove valve core.
 Release air pressure in the strut

 Ensure compression of the struts.

 Remove air valve assembly.
 Fill hydraulic fluid.
 Reinstall the air valve assembly.
 Reinstall valve core
 Inflate the struts
 Tighten swivel hex nut
 Reinstall valve cap

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Bleeding shock struts procedures

 Bleeding might be necessary if:-  Prepare a bleed hose and container.
 Jack the aircraft.
– Fluid level is low  Release air pressure.
– Air is trapped in the strut cylinder  Remove air valve assembly.
 Bleeding is usually done with the aircraft  Fill the strut with hydraulic fluid.
 Attach the bleed hose.
on jacks  Place an exerciser jack below the struts and compress
and extend the struts until air bubbles are eliminated.
 Remove the exerciser jack.
 Remove bleed hose.
 Install air valve and inflate.

Retraction systems
 The purpose of retractable landing gear is
– to reduce drag.
– To adapt the aircraft for landing on different
surfaces.
 Landing gear retraction systems can be
– Mechanical
– Hydraulic or
– electrical

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Mechanical systems Electrical retraction systems

 Is used  The system includes
– On older aircraft or – Motor for converting electrical energy into
– On light aircraft for emergency extension rotary motion.
 Is powered by the pilot moving a lever or – A gear reduction system
operating a crank mechanism. – Gears to change rotary motion into push pull
movement.
– Linkage for connecting the push pull to the
shock strut.

Electrical retraction system

 The system is basically an electrically driven jack
for raising or lowering the gears.
 When a switch is placed in the up position an
electric motor operates to retract and lock the
gears in the up position.
 When the switch is placed in the down position
the motor reverses and moves the gears down.
 The sequence of operations is similar to
hydraulic retraction systems.

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Hydraulic retraction system system devices

 Uses hydraulic pressure to move the gear  Actuating cylinders
between the extended and retracted position.  Selector valves
 Commonly used for all types of aircraft.  Up-locks
– Exclusively for landing gear which is too heavy to be  Down-locks
economically operated by other methods.
 The hydraulic pressure can be generated by  Sequence valves
– Electrically operated pumps or  Tubing
– Engine driven pumps
 Other components
– Hand pumps for emergency
– Are interconnected to permit the proper sequenced retraction
and extension of the landing gear and the landing gear doors.

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Emergency extension system

 Lowers the landing gears if the main
power system fails.
 Some aircraft have an emergency release
handle in the cockpit, which is connected
through a mechanical linkage to the gear
up lock.
 It releases the up lock allowing the gears
to free fall or extend under their own
weight when operated.

Landing gear safety devices

 Accidental retraction of a landing gear
may be prevented by
– Mechanical down locks
– Safety switches
– Ground locks

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Mechanical down locks

– Are built in parts of the gear retraction system
– Are operated automatically by the gear
retraction system
– Electrically operated safety switches are
installed to prevent accidental operation of
the down locks.

Safety switches
 Is usually mounted in a bracket on one of
the main gear shock strut.
 Is actuated by the linkage through the
landing gear torque links.
 The torque links spread apart or move
together at the shock strut piston extends
or retracts in the cylinder.

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 When the aircraft is on the ground the torque links are

close together causing the adjusting links to open the
safety switches.
 During take-off as the struts extend the torque links
close the safety switch.
 A ground for a solenoid is completed when the safety
switch closes.
 The energized solenoid locks the selector valve so that
the gear handle can be positioned to raise the gear.
 They are also called “squat ” switches or “wow”
switches

Ground locks
 Most aircraft are equipped with additional safety
devices to prevent collapse of the gear when the
aircraft is on the ground.
 One common type is a pin stalled in aligned
holes drilled in two or more units of the landing
gear support structure.
 Another type is spring loaded clip design to fit
around and hold two or more units of the
support structure together.
 All types usually have red streamers
permanently attached to them to readily indicate
whether they are installed or not.

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Landing gear position indicators

 A typical gear position warning and
indicator employs:-
– When the landing gear is down and locked
 A Green light for each gear or
 A silhouette of each gear and
 A Warning light which is off.

– When the gears are in transit

 Red warning light and.
 Diagonal red and florescent strips.

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– When the landing gears are up and locked

 Warning light is off.
 Tab type indicators.

warning Steering systems

 Gear warning devices are incorporated on  Are used to control the direction of
all retractable gear aircraft. movement of an aircraft while taxiing.
 Usually consist off  types
– A horn or some other aural device and – Mechanical steering systems
– A red warning light – Power steering systems
 The horn blows and the red warning light  Some small aircraft do not have a steering
comes on when one or more throttles are system
retarded and the landing gear is in a – Steering is obtained by the differential
position other than down and locked. application of the brakes.

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Mechanical steering systems Power steering systems

 Are found on small aircraft where the pilot  Are used for aircraft which require large
can press on the rudder pedal and cause amounts of force to be applied to the nose
the nose wheel or tail wheel to turn with wheel to achieve efficient steering control.
 Power steering systems can be controlled by:-
out any form of powered resistance.
– Rudder pedals
 Some aircraft have the rudder pedals – A steering wheel
directly linked to the nose wheel steering – By a combination system
arm while others use a spring  Allowing full directional control with steering wheel and
interconnect.  Small degree of control with the pedals.

 Operation of either of the controls causes

hydraulic pressure to move an actuator on the
nose wheel and changes the direction of
movement.
 A follow up system is used to provide only as
much nose wheel deflection as the pilot requires
based on the amount the pedal or the steering
wheel is deflected.
 A compensator unit in the system keeps fluid in
the steering cylinder pressurized at all times.
 A safety valve allows the wheels to trail or swivel
in the event of hydraulic failure.

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System components
 Each steering system usually contains
– A cockpit control.
– Mechanical or hydraulic connection.
– A control unit usually a metering valve.
– A source of power usually system hydraulic pressure.
– Tubing
– Steering cylinders
– A pressurizing assembly usually a compensator
– to keep the cylinders pressurized.
– A follow up mechanism
 To return the metering valve to the off position
– Safety valves

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