Topic 3: Aircraft Landing Gear Flashcards
The functions of the landing gear are:
- To provide a means of maneuvering
the aircraft on the ground. - To support the aircraft at a convenient
height to give clearance for propellers
and to facilitate loading. - To absorb the kinetic energy of landing
and provide a means of controlling
deceleration.
this provides a means of maneuvering
the aircraft on the ground.
landing gear
this supports the aircraft at a convenient
height to give clearance for propellers
and to facilitate loading.
landing gear
this absorbs the kinetic energy of landing
and provide a means of controlling
deceleration.
landing gear
landing gear layout
- tricycle layout
- tailwheel or taildragger
this landing gear layout has its nose wheel unit forward of two main gear units.
tricycle layout
this landing gear layout has a tail wheel behind the main wheels.
tailwheel or taildragger
landing gear types:
- fixed (non-retractable) landing gear
- retractable landing gear
With slow, light aircraft, and some larger
aircraft on which simplicity is of prime
importance, this is often fitted.
fixed (non-retractable) landing
gear
In this landing gear type, the reduced performance caused by the drag of the landing gear during flight is offset by the simplicity, reduced maintenance, and low initial cost.
fixed (non-retractable) landing gear
With higher performance aircraft, drag
becomes progressively more important, and this is retracted into the wings or fuselage during flight.
retractable landing gear
Its penalties include increased weight, greater
complication, and additional maintenance.
retractable landing gear
3 main types of fixed landing gear:
- spring steel leg
- rubber cord (shock absorber)
- oleo-pneumatic struts
these are usually employed at the main
undercarriage positions.
spring steel legs
The leg consists of a tube, or strip of
tapered spring steel.
spring steel leg
The upper end is attached by bolts to the fuselage and the lower end terminating in an axle on which the wheel and brake are
assembled.
spring steel leg
when used as a shock-absorber, the undercarriage is usually in the form of tubular struts, designed and installed so that the landing force is directed against a number of turns of rubber in the form of a grommet or loop.
rubber cord
some fixed main undercarriages, and most fixed nose undercarriages, are fitted with this
oleo-pneumatic shock absorber strut
one point worthy of consideration is the fitting of spats to this.
oleo-pneumatic strut
are an aerodynamic fairing which may be required to minimize the drag of the landing gear structure.
spats
consists of two concentric cylinders, one free to slide inside the other.
a simple oleo-pneumatic strut
Its cylinders are filled with hydraulic fluid and gas which are kept apart by a separator piston.
oleo-pneumatic strut
its outer or upper cylinder is attached to the airframe structure and houses the inner or lower cylinder and a piston assembly.
oleo-pneumatic strut
its wheels and axle are connected to the bottom of the inner cylinder
oleo-pneumatic strut