Retractable Gear Systems

The first evidence of a retractable landing gear design was in Europe circa 1911, but a working example didnt show up on aircraft until after WWI. As airplanes got heavier and faster, meanwhile, airport infrastructure-which mainly consisted of an open field and a windsock- couldnt keep up. As a result, some of the fastest airplanes in the 1920s and 1930s were seaplanes, even with the aerodynamic drag their floats imposed. By the time WWII erupted, the latest airplanes were equipped with retractable landing gear, even if in a conventional, taildragging configuration. Still, many long-range, multi-engine airliners of the day were seaplanes.

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Sunday, March 17, 2019 at 12:00 AM ET

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Key Takeaways:

Retractable landing gear evolved significantly since its 1911 origins, becoming essential for aircraft performance and utilizing diverse electric, hydraulic, and manual actuation systems.
Modern retractable gear systems incorporate critical safety features like ground lockout switches, alternate extension mechanisms, and warning indicators to prevent accidental retraction and aid in failures.
Pilot error, rather than mechanical failure, is the leading cause of gear-up landings, highlighting the importance of thorough pre-landing checklists and consistent system maintenance.
In cases of landing gear malfunction, pilots are advised to prioritize survival, often by attempting an all-gear-up landing on pavement if alternate extension fails or if a single gear is stuck.

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The first evidence of a retractable landing gear design was in Europe circa 1911, but a working example didn’t show up on aircraft until after WWI. As airplanes got heavier and faster, meanwhile, airport infrastructure—which mainly consisted of an open field and a windsock— couldn’t keep up. As a result, some of the fastest airplanes in the 1920s and 1930s were seaplanes, even with the aerodynamic drag their floats imposed. By the time WWII erupted, the latest airplanes were equipped with retractable landing gear, even if in a conventional, taildragging configuration. Still, many long-range, multi-engine airliners of the day were seaplanes.

Boeing and Lockheed, among others, introduced retractable gear in the 1930s, although many manufacturers didn’t fully enclose the main gear. In an eloquent statement of what the engineers thought about the reliability of retractable landing gear, they sometimes designed the system so the wheels would still roll, and protect the fuselage and engine nacelles, when landed gear-up. Thankfully, the technology has improved since then, if not the pilots.