First, the composition of the landing gear
Landing gear usually consists of the following parts:
1. Tire or pontoon (for seaplane): used to contact with the ground, providing friction and ensuring the stability of the plane.
2. Shock absorber (such as hydraulic shock absorber): when the aircraft lands or taxies, it absorbs the impact force and protects the aircraft structure.
3. Suspension device: connecting the aircraft structure and the tire, so that the tire can move up and down relative to the structure to adapt to different ground conditions.
4. Braking device: used to slow down to a stop after the plane lands.
5. Retractable system: used to retract the landing gear into the fuselage when the aircraft is flying, so as to reduce the air resistance.
Second, the type of landing gear
According to the use environment and function, landing gear can be divided into the following types:
1. Front three-point landing gear: the front wheel is located in front of the fuselage center of gravity, and the rear wheel is located behind the fuselage center of gravity. This layout helps to improve the directional stability of the aircraft. Most commercial jets adopt this design.
2. Rear three-point landing gear: the front wheel is located behind the center of gravity of the fuselage, and the rear wheel is located below the center of gravity of the fuselage, close to the tail. This design makes the main landing gear farther away from the center of gravity, which is helpful to improve flight stability. Some large passenger planes and military aircraft adopt this design.
3. Bicycle landing gear: the front wheel is located below the center of gravity of the fuselage, and the rear wheel is also located below the center of gravity of the fuselage, but close to the front wheel. This design makes the main landing gear closer to the center of gravity and helps to reduce the rolling resistance of the aircraft. Some supersonic fighters use this design.
