Aircraft Landing Gear Systems: How They Work

I have always been fascinated by the engineering that goes into landing gear. Think about it – these systems need to absorb the impact of tons of aircraft hitting concrete at highway speeds, retract into tight spaces, and deploy reliably every single time. Let me walk you through how they work.

Basic Components

Landing gear systems include struts, wheels, tires, brakes, and retraction mechanisms. The main gear supports most of the aircraft weight. The nose gear provides steering on the ground. Shock absorbers – typically oleo struts – cushion landing impact.

Retraction Systems

Hydraulic pressure powers most retraction systems. When the pilot raises the gear, hydraulic fluid pushes actuators that rotate the gear into wheel wells. Mechanical locks hold the gear up during flight and down during ground operations. Multiple backup systems ensure deployment even if primary hydraulics fail.

Braking Systems

Modern aircraft use multiple disc brakes on each main wheel. Anti-skid systems prevent wheel lockup during braking. Autobrakes can be preset to provide consistent deceleration after touchdown. Carbon brakes on larger aircraft handle the heat generated during heavy braking.

Steering

The nose wheel steers using a tiller in the cockpit for low-speed maneuvering and rudder pedals for high-speed control. Some aircraft use main wheel steering for tight turns. That is what makes airport operations manageable – precision control at slow speeds.

Emergency Procedures

If normal extension fails, pilots can use emergency procedures including gravity extension or manual pumping. Aircraft are designed with multiple redundancies. Complete gear failures are extremely rare in modern aviation.