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 categorized into fixed or retractable types, with conventional (tailwheel) and tricycle configurations, and its components are systematically indexed under ATA 32 for maintenance.
Proper landing gear maintenance is critical for aircraft safety, requiring strict adherence to OEM guidelines and FAA Advisory Circular 43.13-1B, and includes specific procedures like "swinging the gear."
Routine inspections and overhauls, such as those recommended every 8,000 flight hours or six years for King Airs, are vital to address common issues like corrosion and ensure components' integrity.
When choosing a maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facility, it's important to select one with extensive experience, Part 145 certification, and the capability to utilize approved alternative repairs and PMA parts for optimal service.

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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. 