Different Types of Landing Gear

Tail Wheel-Type Landing Gear

· Conventional landing gear

· Located forward of the center of gravity

· Require wheel support under the tail

· Angle of aircraft allows for the addition of a propeller

Tandem Landing Gear

· Main gear and tail gear are aligned on the longitudinal axis

· Commonly used by sailplanes

· Permits use of flexible wings for aircraft

Tricycle-Type Landing Gear

· Allows for more vigorous braking without a resulting nosedive

· Enables faster landing speeds

· Better visibility from flight deck

· Prevents ground-looping

Fixed and Retractable Landing Gear

· Fixed

o Usually used on small, single-engine aircrafts

o Gear is attached to the airframe, always in an extended position

o Can cause parasite drag due to air resistance

o Pilots can use to their advantage when needing to slow aircraft down

o Wheels are most commonly used –skids, skis and floats can also be applied

· Retractable

o Stowed in fuselage or wing compartments when not in use

o Eliminate parasite drag, reduce air resistance

o Add additional weight to aircraft (on aircraft that are already slower, the penalty of added weight overcomes any parasitic drag, and fixed gears are used instead)

Leaf-Type Spring Gear

· Non-shock absorbing struts

· Made from composite materials

· Lightweight and flexible

· Non-corrosive

Rigid

· Cause direct shock on the airframe

· Rough landing for passengers

· Pneumatic tires help soften landing impact

Bungee Cord

· Allows the strut assembly to flex upon landing

· Bungee cords are positioned between the landing gear and airframe structure

· Transfer landing loads to airframe instead of landing gear

Shock Struts

· Self-contained hydraulic units

· Most common method of landing shock dissipation

· Support aircraft while on the ground

· Protect structure during landing

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