How Well Do You Know Aircraft Landing Gear?

The care and keeping of landing gear is the baseline for any aircraft maintenance organization.

Thursday, August 18, 2022 at 06:40 AM ET

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As with everything airplane-related, the topic of landing gear maintenance ranges from simple to extreme. [SBD-6 Dauntless Photo Courtesy: Smithsonian Institution]

Key Takeaways:

Aircraft landing gear is broadly categorized into fixed or retractable, and conventional (tailwheel) or tricycle types, each with specific configurations and operational nuances.
The Airline Transport Association (ATA) 100 Code Table, specifically ATA 32, provides a standardized system for classifying and managing all components of an aircraft's landing gear system for maintenance and parts.
Thorough and regular landing gear maintenance is critical for aircraft safety, encompassing general inspections, cleaning, lubrication, and retraction tests, all guided by OEM specifications and FAA advisory circulars like AC 43.13-1B.
Expert advice highlights the importance of periodic overhaul inspections (e.g., every 8,000 flight hours or six years for King Airs), diligent inspection for corrosion, and partnering with experienced, Part 145 certified MROs that offer approved alternative repairs and PMA parts.

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It starts at about 5 o’clock, just after quitting time for most businesses. People wander into the hangar, making small talk and eyeing the tables along the wall. Some have a small covered dish, maybe a bag of chips, and others carry coolers. Kids play cornhole on the grass beside the building, and someone produces a Bluetooth speaker for tunes.

“Tuesday Evening Wing Night” at Tailwheel Alley is a time-honored tradition at Georgia’s Newnan-Coweta County Airport (KCCO). Several aircraft, such as a Pitts, a Christen Eagle, a Citabria—and others—populate the ramp. Perhaps someone will take one around the pattern, or they just like showing off. Pilots kick tires, boast about maneuvers, and enjoy good-natured ribbing. Someone fires up an engine, and all heads turn in unison. 