A380 Airbus

Table of contents
Summary ................................................................................................................................... 1
Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 2
1 Aspects of a Landing Gear 3
1.1 Types of Landing Gear ................................................................................................ 3

1.2 Physics ......................................................................................................................... 5
1.2.1 Mechanics ............................................................................................................. 5
1.2.2 Aerodynamics ....................................................................................................... 9
1.3 Shock Absorbers ......................................................................................................... 10
1.4 Retraction ..................................................................................................................... 11
1.5 Wheels and Brakes ...................................................................................................... 12
1.5.1 Wheels .................................................................................................................. 12
1.5.2 Tires...................................................................................................................... 13
1.5.3 Brakes .................................................................................................................. 14
1.6 Laws and Regulations ................................................................................................. 18
1.6.1 General ................................................................................................................. 18
1.6.2 Retraction ............................................................................................................. 18
1.6.3 Wheels and Tires .................................................................................................. 18
1.6.4 Breaking System ................................................................................................... 19
1.6.5 Nose Wheel .......................................................................................................... 19
2 Airbus A320 Landing Gear 20
2.1 General ......................................................................................................................... 20

2.1.1 Systems ................................................................................................................ 20
2.1.2 Cockpit .................................................................................................................. 21
2.2 Landing Gear and Doors ............................................................................................. 22
2.2.1 Main Landing Gear Doors ..................................................................................... 23
2.2.2 Nose Landing Gear Doors .................................................................................... 24
2.3 Components of a Brake and Wheels .......................................................................... 26
2.3.1 Wheels .................................................................................................................. 26
2.3.2 Normal Brakes ...................................................................................................... 27
2.3.3 Auto Brake and Anti-skid System .......................................................................... 29
2.3.4 Air Ground Logic ................................................................................................... 30
3 Troubleshooting 32
3.1 Failures ........................................................................................................................ 32

3.1.1 Flat Tire................................................................................................................. 32
3.1.2 Gear down Failure ................................................................................................ 33
3.1.3 Failure of Brakes ................................................................................................... 33
3.2 Maintenance ................................................................................................................. 34
3.2.1 Tire Replacement.................................................................................................. 34
3.2.2 Brake Replacement............................................................................................... 34
3.2.3 Costs .................................................................................................................... 34
3.3 Conclusion ................................................................................................................... 35
Hogeschool van Amsterdam
Amsterdamse Hogeschool voor Techniek Aviation Studies
Summary
The aim of this project is to gain knowledge of an aircraft landing gear through analysis and
research of that aircraft segment and its subsystems. In this aim, the general theory of an
aircraft landing gear is the first point of focus. Having thoroughly looked into all the facets of
general landing gear theory, the second step is the landing gear of an Airbus A320. The main
problems and maintenance of an Airbus A320 landing gear are the last described subjects.
The landing gear is one of the most important parts of an aircraft. The main and most
important functions of a landing gear are to enable the aircraft to land, take off, and to taxi.
The landing gear has to carry the full weight of an aircraft on ground and has to absorb most
of the created forces during landing. The shock absorber are created to absorb these forces.
Aircraft without a retractable landing gear, cause a lot of drag. To prevent this from
happening, a retraction system retracts the landing gear in the landing gear compartment.
The wheels and tires of an aircraft have the full weight of the aircraft on them and need to be
able to handle extreme temperatures and friction.
The brakes reduce the speed of an aircraft during taxiing phase and landing, and have to
convert the kinetic energy to heat.
The landing gear has to conform to the regulations applied to the retraction system, the
brakes, the wheels and tires and the steering system. These requirements are documented
in the certification specification 25.
The landing gear of an Airbus A320 consists of a nose landing gear and a main landing gear.
The landing gear systems are hydraulically powered by the hydraulic power systems of the
aircraft.
The landing gear system can be fully controlled from the cockpit. Several controls control the
retraction/extension of the landing gear, and the steering of the nose wheel. The brakes can
be controlled manually or automatically.
The construction of the nose and main landing gear are different from each other. The main
landing gear will have to absorb most of the shocks during landing, and the controls for the
nose gear allow for change in steering angle.
The A320 has four brakes which are hydraulically pressurized and has two brake systems:
the normal brake system and the alternate brake system. The automatic brake and the anti-
skid system are integrated in the normal braking system and help the pilot in unforeseen
circumstances.
Like everything the landing gear can undergo failures. These failures can be as harmless as
a flat tire or as hazarders as a gear down failure.
The landing gear of an aircraft is heavily under influence of wear and tear. Especially the
brakes. Therefore good maintenance is required to keep the aircraft operational and to
minimize the chances of any failure that can occur.
Airbus A320 Landing Gear

Project Group: 2A2L Page | 1
Introduction
The project group 2A2L, from the Hogeschool van Amsterdam, is requested by the
engineering department of Amstel Leeuwenburg Airlines to analyze a landing gear. This
analyze is requested to solve problems or interruptions and errors that could occur in the
future, which can save money on the long term. The project group that consists of eight
members analyzed the landing gear of an Airbus A320.
The content of this report is divided into three chapters.
First of al the different types of landing gears and the physics such as aerodynamics and
mechanics are described. To understand a normal common landing gear, the elements of
the gear are clarified. These elements are the shock absorbers, the retraction mechanism,
the wheels and the breaks. The know which rules are involved with a landing gear, the rules
and regulations are explored. (1)
The landing gear of an Airbus A320 is analyzed. The elements that are analyzed of the
Airbus are the systems and cockpit that are involved with the gear. The landing gear and
doors of the main gear and the nose gear and the braking systems. (2)
Trouble shooting and maintenance are two important aspects. Failures such as, flat tires
gear down failure and brake failure are investigated. Research has been din considering
maintenance and costs. (3)
In addition to this report, an appendix list is made, to clear up some subject mentioned in the
report. The most important sources used during this report are: Wentzel (2006) and the
college vliegtuig systemen (VLS*). Besides this report the group had to make an assignment
about the forces on a landing gear, this assignment can be found in the appendix list.

1 Aspects of a Landing Gear

The landing gear of an aircraft is an important component which gives the aircraft the ability
to land safely without causing any damage to either the aircraft or the surface. Because not
every aircraft or landing field is the same, many different types of landing gears have been
designed. (1.1)
Although not every landing gear is the same, its purpose remains the same: to ensure a safe
landing. A landing gear is exposed to many types of force during the different phases. (1.2)
These forces would need to be absorbed to ensure a soft and safe landing. To absorb these
forces, an aircraft uses its shock absorbers. (1.3)
A non-retractable landing gear greatly reduces the aerodynamic properties of an aircraft. It is
therefore important to find a good method of retracting the landing gear. (1.4)
The brake system allows the aircraft to come to a full stop once the aircraft has landed. (1.5)
The laws and regulations for the airworthiness of an aircraft are made by the European
Aviation Safety Agency (EASA*). These regulations also contain the requirements for a
landing gear. (1.6)
1.1 Different Types of Landing Gear

Not every aircraft or airfield is the same. For this reason many different types of landing gear
have been developed. Some of these types include:
1 Conventional Landing Gears

2 Tandem Landing Gears
3 Floater Landing Gears
4 Ski Landing Gears
5 Tricycle Landing Gears
Ad 1 Conventional Landing Gear

The conventional landing gear (Fig. 1.1) consists of two wheels under the nose (1) of the
aircraft and one wheel located at its tail (2). This type of landing gear is mostly used by
smaller aircraft. Larger aircraft do not use this configuration due to difficult ground
maneuverability. Another disadvantage of this type of landing gear is its raised nose,
resulting in less runway visibility for the pilot.
1 Two front landing gear wheels

2 The tail wheel
Fig. 1.1: Conventional configuration.
Ad 2 Tandem Landing Gear

The tandem landing gear (Fig. 1.2, pg. 4) is used on aircraft with a limited maximum payload
such as gliders and military aircraft. This landing gear consists of a main back wheel (1), a
nose wheel (2) and two wheels in line with one another connected to the wings (3).

1 Main back wheel

2 Nose wheel
1
3 Wing wheel
Fig. 1.2: Tandem configuration.
Ad 3 Floater Landing Gear

A floater landing gear (Fig. 1.3) is designed to make it possible for an aircraft to land on
water. Aircraft which are equipped with a floater landing gear are called seaplanes and
service in areas without airstrips or with an abundance of water.
1 Water
2 Floater landing gear
Fig. 1.3: Floater configuration
Ad 4 Ski Landing Gear

In the polar regions, the winter season lasts for almost the entire year. The terrain is frozen
and covered with snow for a great time of the year. To land aircraft in such areas, it is
necessary to modify the landing gear and fit the aircraft with a pair of skis (Fig 1.4). The
landing gear consists to main skis located under its wings (1) and a nose ski (2).
1 Main skis
2 Nose ski
Fig. 1.4: Ski configuration.
Ad 5 Tricycle landing gear

The tricycle type landing gear (Fig. 1.5, pg.5) is the most common type of landing gear used
for larger aircraft. It has the Main Landing Gear (MLG*) (2) under the body of the aircraft and
a Nose Landing Gear (NLG*) under the nose (1). In comparison to the conventional landing
gear, this configuration provides much better maneuverability on the ground, and at the same
time keeps the aircraft vertically aligned. This makes it easier to land and load cargo.

1 Nose landing gear

2 Main landing gear
1
2
Fig. 1.5: Tricycle configuration.
1.2 Physics
Physics is the science that deals with matter, energy, motion and force. To understand how
and why an aircraft landing gear works, it is necessary to analyze the physics of a landing
gear. Many forces are constantly pushing or pulling on landing gear components during
different phases of flight. Analysis of these forces is necessary to understand the design of a
landing gear (1.2.1).
The flow of air around an aircraft can be severely affected by objects sticking out of its
fuselage. Therefore it is also necessary to analyze the aerodynamics of a landing gear
(1.2.2).
1.2.1 Mechanics
Mechanical forces can be divided in two categories. Static forces represent forces on
stationary objects (A). Dynamic forces are forces which influence or affect moving objects
(B).
A Static Forces
Static Forces are forces in equilibrium or the forces on an object at rest. There are different
types of landing gear and it is to the engineers to calculate which gives the best distribution
of the weight of an aircraft. These forces will be further examined in the following topics:
1 Center of Gravity
2 Forces in Equilibrium
3 Forces on an Airbus A320
Ad 1 Center of Gravity
The centre of gravity is determined with help of the Mean Aerodynamic Chord (MAC*) line
(Fig. 1.6), which is the average chord of a wing. The MAC therefore has to be calculated first
before the centre of gravity can be determined.
A Root chord
B Tip chord
S Sweep distance
Y Half wing span‟
C Sweep distance at MAC
D MAC distance from root
Λ Sweep distance angle
Fig. 1.6: Determining the MAC and CG.

The root chord, tip chord, sweepback angle and the wingspan can be found in the aircraft
manufacturers manual. The sweep distance, sweep distance at the MAC, the MAC distance
from the root and the mean aerodynamic chord have to be calculated using several different
equations (Eq. 1,2,3) which are also dependant on one another.
S
arctan S Y sin (1)
Y
where S = Sweep distance in [m].

Λ = Sweepback angle in [degrees].
Y = Half wing span [m].
2( A B) (0.5 A B)
MAC A (2)
3( A B)
where MAC = Mean Aerodynamic Chord in [m].

A = Root chord in [m].
B = Tip chord in [m].
S ( A 2 B)
c (3)
3( A B)
where c = Sweep distance at MAC in [m].

S = Sweep distance in [m].
A = Root chord in [m].
B = Tip chord in [m].
The results from the previous three equations can now be filled in the equation for center of
gravity (Eq. 4).
CG %MAC MAC c (4)
where CG = Centre of gravity in [m].

%MAC = Location on the MAC
MAC = Mean aerodynamic chord in [m].
c = Sweep distance in [m].
Another way to find the center of gravity is by choosing a reference line near the aircraft, for
example in front of the cockpit, and then categorize the aircraft into different sections. This
could be the payload, the engines, the wings, the fuselage, the fuel, the vertical and the
horizontal tail. The next step would be to determine the distance to each of these sections
from the reference line. With this information the center of gravity can now be determined
with the second center of gravity equation (Eq. 5, pg. 7).

Dl Wl Dr Wr Dt Wt...
CG (5)
Wl Wr Wt ....
where CG = Center of gravity in [m].

D = Distance in [m].
W = Weight in [kg].
Ad 2 Forces in Equilibrium
The forces and moments at any point of a non-moving aircraft, can easily be calculated by
assuming that all forces are moments are in equilibrium (Eq. 6). When all forces and
moments are in equilibrium, their sum results in 0.
FX FX 1 FX 2 ... 0 (6)
FY FY1 FY 2 ... 0
2 2
FR FX FY
M F1 a1 F2 a2 ... 0
where ∑FX = The sum of all horizontal forces in [N].

∑FY = The sum of all vertical forces in [N].
FR = The resulting force in [N].
F1 = One of the forces in [N].
a1 = The distance from a reference point to F1 in [m].
∑M = The moment at a certain point in [N∙m].
Ad 3 Forces on the Airbus A320

After having determined all the needed information about the Airbus A320, such as the
wingspan, and root chord. The information can be entered in the seven equations to
determine the location of the center of gravity (Appendix I).
The weight of the center of gravity differs from that of the main and nose landing gear. One
can conclude from this that, when the center of gravity lies at a forward distance of 27% from
the MAC and the aircraft is in dry weather conditions, the nose gear will bare most of the
weight.
The closer the center of gravity gets to the trailing edge of the MAC, the less weight the nose
gear would have to bare. The aircraft developer would have to take this into consideration
when deciding on which brakes to use and what tire pressure would have to be used.
B Dynamic Forces
Dynamic forces cause objects to move or affect their movement. For example, an aircraft is
pushed forward because of a force produced in the opposite direction by the gas turbine
engine. While the aircraft is moving, many of such forces constantly push or pull the aircraft‟s
structure and its surroundings. To understand these forces better, we will look at the dynamic
forces affecting an Airbus A320 aircraft during the following three phases:
1 Taxiing
2 Take-off
3 Landing

Ad 1 Taxiing
The first step in calculating the forces on the landing gears during taxiing phase is to
determine the aircraft‟s weight during that phase. The maximum weight an aircraft may have
during this phase is called the Maximum Taxiing Weight (MTW*). The MTW is the maximum
weight at which an aircraft can still safely maneuver without sustaining or causing any
damage to the aircraft or the surface it has contact with.
The MTW of an Airbus A320 is 77.400 kg, which is equal to a downward force of 759.294 N
located at the center of gravity. To know how much force is pushing down on each landing
gear one must use a weight and balance chart. A weight and balance chart shows the weight
of the aircraft at many points using a reference line.
The aircraft is causing drag and friction. The whole structure of the aircraft is causing drag
and the landing gears are causing drag and rolling friction while taxiing. The drag caused by
the aircraft and its landing gears will not be taken into account because a lack of information
on specifics needed to calculate the drag.
During the taxiing phase the aircraft tires make contact with the ground, this causes rolling
friction. This type of friction can be calculated with the equation of friction (Eq. 7). The
equation incorporates the coefficient of friction, which itself incorporates the aircraft tire
contact area with the speed. The value for this coefficient cannot be calculated and must be
found through measurements during experiments, which is assumed to be 0.025 at 30 knots.
Another assumption that is made is the weight distribution over the aircraft, 18.5%
(140469.39 N) on the NLG and 81.5% (618824.61 N) on the MLG.
FW W FN (7)
where FW = The friction force in [N]

W = The coefficient of friction
FN = The force perpendicular to the surface of contact in [N]
So assuming the aircraft is moving at a constant speed without alteration of its linear
movement and change in weight and balance. When these values are inputted in the
equation, it will be clear that the total friction drag force on the NLG is 3511.73 N and
15470.61 N on the MLG. At a constant speed, drag is equal to the forward force. This means
that the two gas turbine engines have to provide 18982.34 N of force to make the aircraft
move forward at a speed of 30 knots.
There is also a rotational force during this phase, called a torque or moment. This force can
be calculated by multiplying the moment arm by the force. In this case one finds a clockwise
direction of the force around the center of gravity of the aircraft. There are many of such
torques during this phase. These are caused by forces exerting pressure around a single
point of an object, for example a joint of a landing gear.
Ad 2 Take-off
By looking at a single moment in time when the aircraft is in take-off phase, we can see two
main forces exerting pressure on the aircraft. These forces are the rolling friction which is
caused by the aircraft‟s tire making contact with the runway strip and drag caused by the
aircraft‟s structure moving through the air.
To calculate the rolling friction, again the equation of friction can be used. In this case,
however, the coefficient of friction is much higher because of a higher speed. Assuming that
the aircraft‟s weight and balance does not change during take-off, the rolling friction can

simply be calculated with the new coefficient of friction, but with the same Fn used in the
previous example.
Assuming the aircraft‟s acceleration during take-off is equal to 4.5 [m·s-2] and the aircraft‟s
weight is equal to its Maximum Take Off Weight (MTOW*) of 77.000 kg, we can simple enter
this value in Newton‟s second law equation (Eq. 8) to find out the forward force.
F m a (8)
where F = The force vector in [N].

m = The mass in [kg].
a = The acceleration vector in [m·s-2].
Entering these values in the equation, gives us a forward force of 346.500 N. According to
Newton‟s third law, this force is equal to the drag caused by the aircraft moving through the
air. In the second part of the take-off phase, the aircraft no longer makes contact with the
surface and has retracted its landing gears. During this part there no longer is a rolling
friction or drag caused by the landing gears.
Ad 3 Landing
During landing, or touchdown, there are many forces that exert pressure on the aircraft. The
landing gears, or shock absorbers to be exact, have to absorb a large amount of kinetic
energy. The amount of kinetic energy can be calculated by entering the aircraft‟s vertical
speed and landing weight in the equation of kinetic energy (Eq. 9).
m v2
E (9)that
TheKmaximum landing weight (MLW*) of an Airbus A320 is 66.000 kg. We will assume
2
the aircraft has a vertical speed of 2 m/s.
where E K = The kinetic energy in [J].
m = The mass in [kg].
v = The speed of the center of mass in [m/s].
Entering these values in the equation produces 1,320 MJ of kinetic energy.
1.2.2 Aerodynamics
Aerodynamics is a branch of fluid dynamics, which focuses on the study of forces generated
on a body in a flow. This plays an important role on aircraft during flight. During flight a lot of
drag is created, which should be minimized as much as possible. To calculate this drag, the
equation for drag (Eq. 10, pg 10) is used. There are many types of landing gear (Appendix
II). Aircraft with non-retractable landing gear create more drag than those with a retracted
one. Another problem that could occur is that of strains due to wind and movement of the
aircraft. These strains can become so high, that an aircraft landing gear could deform.

D 1 v 2 CD S (10)
2
where D = Drag in [N].

ρ = Air density in [kg/m3].
V = The true airspeed (TAS) of the aircraft in [m/s].
S = Area of the wing in [m2]
Cd = Drag coefficient.
In this equation can see that the drag dependents on several different factors. If we assume
that D, ρ and S stay the same, than the drag would depend on TAS2∙Cd. Therefore if the
speed of the aircraft increases, the drag would increase twice and the aircraft will experience
more forces on it. The higher the aircraft flies, the lower the drag becomes. This is because
the air density decreases with height.
So for an aircraft with non-retractable landing gear, it would be best to fly at high altitudes to
minimize drag. This is however not possible with small aircraft.
1.3 Shock Absorbers

The shock absorber is an important part of the undercarriage of an aircraft. It makes a
landing much smoother and pleasant. To know what the use of a shock absorber is, the
purpose of it is described (A). Different types of absorbers are used for different kind of
aircraft (B). For the large aircraft, oleo struts are used (C).
A Purpose
As an aircraft touches the ground during landing, large forces are generated on the landing
gear. To prevent any damage to the undercarriage of an aircraft, the shock must be
absorbed, therefore shock absorbers are installed. A shock absorber absorbs the kinetic
energy that is created during touchdown and converts this energy into heat. If the absorber
does not convert all the kinetic energy into heat, it will bounce the aircraft back in the air.
B Absorbers
There are different kinds of shock absorbers which can be used for an aircraft. One thing that
they all have in common is that they have some sort of spring base. The only undercarriage
which does not use a spring base, is the rigid axe landing gear. Small aircraft like for
instance the Cessna-172 practically do not have an absorber. The only way these smaller
planes absorb the shock of a landing is through the flexibility of the metal that is used for the
landing gear. These types of absorbers are called solid spring absorbers. Rubber can also
be used for spring purposes in a shock absorber. Rubber is used in different ways. With the
levered bungee method rubber strings are attached from the body of the aircraft to the gear.
Another method is when rubber is placed in the gear. One of the negative points in using
rubber as shock absorber is that you need large amounts of rubber for heavy aircraft.
Another one is that it does not absorb the shock, rather it will bounce the aircraft in the air.
C Oleo Pneumatic Struts

The techniques with rubber and flexible materials are not suitable for larger aircraft. These
larger aircraft use shock absorbers that are called oleo pneumatic struts (Fig. 1.7, pg 11)
that uses a mixture of gas and oil. The oil is not a real oil, but it is a hydraulic fluid that is
called phosphate ester. The company Skydrol manufactures these fluids for many aircraft
companies. Airbus uses the variant NSA 307.110, the characteristics of this fluid can be
found in (Appendix III).

1 Compressed air or nitrogen

2 Oil
1
3 Orifice
Fig. 1.7: Oleo Pneumatic Strut.
The spring is provided by compressing gas (1), usually nitrogen. The oil (2) is used to
prevent the bouncing effect during touchdown. In other words, the oil absorbs the shock.
During touchdown the oil is pressed through a narrow calibrated hole, also known as the
orifice (3), this section prevents the wheel base of flinging back after touchdown. As the oil is
pressed through the orifice, the kinetic energy is converted into heat. While the oil is pressed
through the orifice, the gas on top of the oil becomes compressed. These shock absorbers
are almost perfect, but there is only one problem. After using the absorber a while, the oil
gets mixed up with the gas which creates bubbles, and bubbles take away the absorbing
effect. Therefore they invented a model that separates the gas from the oil (Fig. 1.8).
1 The gas
2 The oil
2
3 Separator
4 Valve plate
4
Fig. 1.8: Oleo Strut with separator.
The gas (1) is now separated from the oil (2) by a separator (3). Instead of a narrowed
section, a valve plate (4) is installed to prevent the wheel base of flinging back after
touchdown.
1.4 Retraction
A non-retracted landing gear causes a lot of drag during flight, so when it is not needed, it is
retracted into the wings or fuselage of most aircraft. There are several types of retraction
mechanisms (Appendix III). However in most cases, a hydraulic jack is used to pull landing
gear legs up, about a pivot at the top. Because of a lack of space, making it difficult to store

not only the leg and wheels, but also the retraction mechanism, careful design of the
retraction mechanism is needed.
Careful design of the retraction arrangement minimizes the size and weight of the jack.
Strong points must be properly located on the aircraft for the landing gear and jacks. The leg
must also be properly held together to prevent collapse from the drag loads from ground
traction and application of the brakes, and from side loads caused by gust and crosswind.
In many cases the landing gear needs to fit into a very small space and therefore needs to
be turned, twisted or folded. In case of an hydraulic system failure, the aircraft must be
capable of lowering and locking the landing gear so that the aircraft can land safely. Nose
legs usually retract forwards, which means that they will fall under gravity and aerodynamic
drag if the hydraulic system fails. It is common for pressure bottles to be fitted, which store
enough pressure to allow the landing gear to extend in case of a system failure.
Most aircraft use hydraulic systems for retraction and extension. However, there are also
electrical and pneumatic systems. All landing gears are required to be positively locked in
both positions, and to have lock indicators for each leg in the cockpit, also called the three
greens (Appendix IV).
The uplocks and downlocks operate automatically as

part of the retraction and extension sequence, usually by
cable. Where an aircraft is used for short-haul feeder
liner flights, between about 100km and 200km, the main-
wheel landing gear doors may be omitted to save weight.
In most cases however, especially with commercial
aircraft, the landing gears is well closed off by a door or
set of doors to reduce drag (Appendix V). The doors to
the landing gear may be attached to the legs, or may use
separate jacks to open and close them. It is important Fig. 1.9: Sequencer valve.
that the landing gear doors open before the landing gear
extends or retracts. Usually a sequencer valve (Fig. 1.9) is used to direct the supply of
hydraulic fluid to operate jacks in the correct sequence.
1.5 Wheels and Brakes

The tires, wheels and brakes are essential for the landing gear. The tires (1.5.1) always have
to be in a good condition so they have to be checked during maintenance and also the
material plays an important part that the tires do not explode during taxiing. The tires are
span about the wheels where can be two different options (1.5.2). Of course the brakes are
the most important during landing and also taxing (1.5.3).
1.5.1 Tires
The tires are made from a certain material because their properties are essential for the
operation of the landing gear (A). The tires have a certain construction so that the pressure
inside cannot get to great and that they can also be reversed if they are worn (B). The
construction has a certain meaning for the operation of the tires (C).
A Material
The tires of an aircraft are usually made from natural rubber, because it is more elastic,
during the change in temperature while taxiing, take-off and landing, than synthetic materials,
and can better conduct heat. On the other hand it is not very resistant against sun light,
hydraulic oils, fats and kerosene.

B Construction
The tires of a landing gear (Fig. 1.10) consist of many layers. The outside layer is called the
tread (1). If damaged, the outside layer can be repaired. The layers are usually made from
nylon and steal cables integrated in the material to make it stronger. Dimples (2) are added
to the tread for easy transport of water. The tread is connected to the sidewall (3) which
protects the layer underneath from harmful objects.
The chord body (4) gives the tire the strength and takes up the tension. It is made from plys
of nylon (5). In each layer also wires are integrated. Because aircraft tires are tubeless, the
chord body is made with an inner layer (6), which prevents the nitrogen from escaping.
In the heal section (7) strong steal cable bunches keep the tire on the wheel. Chafers (8)
between the tire and wheel, absorb the wear which is caused by rolling friction.
2
1
1
9
10 1 Tread
2 dimpels
5 3 sidewall
6 4 chord body
4 5 chord layer
6 inner layer
3 7 heal section
7
8 toe section (chafers)
8 9 small holes
10 shoulder
Fig. 1.10: Landing gear tires.
C Operation
The tires are tubeless. This makes it easier to maintain and an inner tube is not needed. The
tire is filled with nitrogen because it has heat resistant qualities. There are small holes (9) in
the outer layer through which the nitrogen can escape, in case of over pressure. When an
aircraft lands, the nitrogen is compressed and becomes warmer. This results in a greater
volume in the tire, causing a further increase in pressure. The holes are there to prevent the
tire from exploding. Another advantage is that the holes prevent small nitrogen bubbles from
sticking between the heal section and the toe section.
The tension of the tire lies between 170 to 220 psi, or 12 bar. If the tire pressure is too high,
the center of the tread wears off more quickly. If the tire pressure is too low that the shoulder
(10) of a tire can wear off more quickly. This is called flex heating.
1.5.2 Wheels
The wheels have a certain material to stand the forces acting on them and also generate
maximum safety (A). There are two kinds of wheels which can be used (B). The operation of
the wheels is based on the construction of the wheels (C).
A Materials
The wheels used to made from magnesium alloy, but this was too heavy and also flammable.
In modern aircraft the alloy that is used is usually aluminum.

B Construction
There are two types of wheels (Appendix VI). A fully divisible wheel can be vertically
separated from the middle of the wheel. The two parts are fixed to each other with pins and
nuts. The tire can be filled up via a plug at its side. There is also a fuse through which air can
be carried off in case the temperature becomes too high. This process is called blow of fuse
and happens when the temperature reaches 150 degrees.
To remove the tire, the wheel has to be deconstructed by removing the pins and nuts on the
side of the wheel.
The partly divisible wheel is practically the same as the fully divisible one. The one difference
between the two is that the partly divisible one can be separated by removing the border of
the wheel.
C Operation
When the wheels become too warm and suddenly cool off, the wheels and pins can explode.
Sometimes fuses are integrated, which allows the pilot to see pressure and temperature
information on his brake temperature monitor and tire indicating system in the cockpit.
Sometimes shimmy can be a major problem. Shimmy happens when the wheels vibrate
along the vertical axis of the wheel or the spring strut. This can cause damage or break the
wheel. To prevent shimmy from happening, two tires should be installed on a rotating axis.
1.5.3 Brakes
The brakes of an aircraft allow it to come to a standstill when it is making contact with the
surface. There are two types of brakes: the disc brakes (single disc and multidisc) and the
drum brakes (A). Any object making contact with another wears down. This same rule
applies to brakes. The anti-skid system provides maximum braking power without blocking it
(B). The auto braking system stops all wheels at the same time (C).
A Types of Brakes
There are three different kinds of discs: the drum disc; single brake disc and the multi brake
disc. The disc brakes provide a greater braking area on the wheel basis. Another advantage
is that they become less warm, because there is no direct contact between the brake and the
wheel. There are also heat shields made from titanium, to prevent greater heat development.
Materials
The brakes are made from resistant or hardened steal and can also be made from carbon.
The advantage of carbon brakes is that they are about 60% lighter than normal brakes.
Another advantage is that they do not wear (about 3000 landings) off as fast as the steal
brakes (about 1600 landings). They also have a higher melting point (3000 degrees instead
of 1500). A major disadvantage is that they cost about 2.5 more per landing than the normal
ones.
Construction and Operation

The two kinds of brakes work differently and also have a different efficiency.
Drum brakes
The drum brakes are not used very often in aviation. Sometimes they can be found on small,
light aircraft. The drum brakes (Fig. 1.11, pg. 15) consist of two „shoes‟ (1) which are
connected by a spring (2) at the bottom and a cylinder. This is meant to connect both shoes.
As soon as the pilot uses the braking pedals, hydraulic fluid (3) enters the cylinder (4) and
the shoes are pushed against the tires.

3
1 braking shoes
2 spring
4
3 hydraulic fluid
4 cylinder
Fig. 1.11: Drum brakes.
Disc brakes
There are two kinds of disc brakes (Fig 1.12): the single braking disc and the multi braking
disc. The single discs do not cover the whole wheel base and therefore cannot generate
great braking on heavy aircraft. Therefore they are usually used on small, light aircraft. The
multi discs on the other side can generate optimum braking, which is needed on the big
commercial airliners, like the Airbus A320.
A moving disk (1) and a static disc (2) are put alternately in a thick package. The rotors are
attached to the wheel and rotate with it, and the static discs are attached to the axis of the
wheel. As soon as the pilot operates the brakes in the cockpit hydraulic pressure is flowing
through the cylinder (3) wherein a brake piston (4) can be found. The brake piston pushes
against the pressure plate (5) which then presses against the rotor discs. This continues until
pressure is released. Then a spring capsule (6) pulls back the pressure plate.
3
1 rotor disc
4
2 static disc
3 cylinder
4 brake piston
5 pressure plate
6 spring capsule
7 brake wear pin
2
1
1
5
7
6
Fig. 1.12: Disc brakes.

The brake wear pin (7) shows how much the brakes are worn out. When the brake is new,
the pin (Fig. 1.13, 1) is fully extended. When the top of the pin reaches the frame of the
wheel, the brakes have to be replaced.
1 1 Brake wear pin.
Fig. 1.13: Brake wear pin.
The process of braking generates heat, which stays in the wheels. The heat can be
calculated by filling in all data which are given before landing, such as the weight with which
the aircraft will touch the ground and the landing speed (Eq. 11)
1 2
E kin m LW v stall (11)
2
where Ekin= kinetic energy

MLW= mass of the aeroplane while landing
Vstall= stall speed which is taken for the landing speed
If the weight or the speed of an aircraft is very high the kinetic energy of the aircraft will be
great. Since the weight of the aircraft is something that can not be altered easily, the speed
of the aircraft will be the deciding factor.
Thus if the landing speed is higher then v1 the aircraft can not land safely.
B Anti-skid
The anti skid system is used because of safety and economic reasons, due to the
passengers and the aircraft which should not get damaged.
The anti-slip system reacts before it is possible for one of the wheels to blockade due to slip.
Slipping happens because of aquaplaning on the runway or snow on the runway.
When one of the conditions occur, then the friction between the tire and the runway gets less
or even disappears at all. Then a wheel can slip and an unbalance between the different
wheels which are braking can occur and the aircraft deviates from its straight path on the
runway.
That is way the anti-slip system has to come into action before this occurs. A wheel speed
transducer calculates the angle speed of all wheels and sees when one or more of them get
a greater angle speed. It sends the data to the an anti-slip control computer which reduces
the braking pressure on that wheel. As soon as the wheel has accelerated again, braking
pressure is set on it again. The angle speed is needed to get the slipping ratio (Eq. 12, pg.
17), which when is zero there is no wheel slipping and when is 100% means a slipping
wheel.

V A
slippingratio 100% (12)
V
where ωV=angle speed of a non braked wheel

ωA= Angle speed of the brakes wheel
The braking affectivity is dependent on the friction coefficient μ and the normal force which
acts perpendicular on the moving aircraft and the runway (Eq.13).
Fw N (13)
Where Fw= braking force [N]

μ= friction coefficient
N= Normal force [N]
μ is dependent of the condition of the runway, the speed and the slip ratio. The relation
between μ and the slip ratio can be presented in a chart (Fig 1.14). μ is at its maximum when
the slip ratio is about 15 %. The anti-skid system now regulates the braking pressure of that
wheel in that manner that the slip ratio stays at that point.
Fig. 1.14: Relationship slipratio and wrijvingscoefficient
C Auto brake system

The auto brake system (ABS*) causes all brakes to operate equally at the same time. It is
used because if a pilot would brake the aircraft he does not know how much pressure he
puts on the brakes and that could cause the passengers to feel unwell in the back of the
aircraft.
As soon as the aircraft has touched the ground a signal is sent to the computer to extend the
ground spoilers and the thrust reverser. In this manner maximum and equally divided braking
is made possible.
There are different positions for the ABS, which have to be selected by the pilot:

Off: no ABS
RTO: during rejected take off, when the pilot decided to stop the aircraft by v 1.
This position has to be selected before every take off.
Min: This is the minimum braking used and the braking pressure is 1800 psi.
Med: Medium position is used when the runway is wet, short or the visibility is
low.
Max: The maximum position is used when there is an emergency. Then the
braking pressure is about 3000 psi.
When the pilot has selected one of the positions and he pushes in the brake pedals, then the
ABS is turned off. An advantage is, that it decreases the wear of the tires, because it causes
all wheels to brake equally.
1.6 Laws and Regulations

The regulations concerning the landing gear of large aircraft such as the Airbus A320 are
stated in the Certification Specification 25 (CS-25*) of the EASA.
The landing gear as a whole must comply with the mandatory rules and must have
undergone several tests proving it (1.6.1). The retraction system must be secured both in
extended and retracted state, and must be equipped with emergency systems (1.6.2). The
wheels must also be able to withstand the stated forces during different phases (1.6.3). The
brakes are one of few means to come a hold, so there are also rules concerning the brakes
of an aircraft (1.6.4).
1.6.1 General
The landing gear must sustain the usual forces to which it is exposed during take off and
landing. Each aircraft that has a passenger seating configuration, excluding pilot seats, of ten
or more must be designed so that with the aircraft under control it can be landed on a paved
runway with either one or more landing gear legs not extended without sustaining a structural
component failure that is likely to cause the spillage of enough fuel to constitute a fire hazard.
The landing gear must also face several tests to ensure that it has enough energy absorbing
capabilities. This means that the aircraft must be exposed to its greatest value of impact
energy.
1.6.2 Retraction
The retraction system, which includes the landing gear retracting mechanism, wheel well
doors and supporting structure, must be able to sustain the loads in flight conditions when
the landing gear is in retracted position. The retraction system must also withstand the forces
exerted on it when in extended position at landing and take off speeds.
The retraction system must have a landing gear lock. The landing gear lock ensures that the
landing gear is locked in its position, whether it is extended or retracted.
In case of any failure of the normal retraction system there must be an emergency operation
available with the means of extending the landing gear.
A retractable landing gear must have a landing gear position indicator. This indicator must be
placed in visible sight of the pilot. Several warning signal indicators should also be placed in
the cockpit in case of a failure of any kind.
1.6.3 Wheels and tires

The quality of the main and nose wheel must be minimally at the standards set by the EASA.
The maximum static load weight of each wheel may not be less than prescribed according to

the maximum weight of the aircraft. Each wheel must be equipped with an overpressure
burst prevention mechanism which prevents the bursting of tires under heavy pressure.
Each wheel and tire must be placed in such a way, that when retracted, it does not make
contact with other things such as the doors of the landing gear system.
If an aircraft has more certificated take off weight than 34019 kg, the mounted tires must be
inflated using dry nitrogen or other gasses shown to be inert. In such a case, the oxygen
levels should not exceed 5% of the mixture.
1.6.4 Braking system

If any component of the braking system fails, it should be possible to get the aircraft to a
complete stop within two times the prescribed stop distance for that specific aircraft. Any
fluids lost by the hydraulic brake system should be insufficient to start a hazardous fire. The
brakes must be designed in such a way that no excessive force is needed to operate it.
Every aircraft must have a parking brake which prevents the aircraft from moving when it is
supposed to be at a standstill. The controls of the parking brake must be properly placed so
that it can not accidentally be activated or deactivated. Brake wear indicators must be
installed for each brake so that it can be seen when the heat sink is at its maximum
acceptable limit.
1.6.5 Nose wheel

The nose wheel must be designed and placed in such a way that, even with heavy crosswind
or a sudden power failure, no exceptional skill are needed to maneuver the aircraft when
taxiing. The nose wheel steering system must be delivered with a protection which inhibits
nose wheel movement away from the center position during retraction. It should also be
proven in practical tests that no single failure can result in a nose-wheel position that could
cause hazardous situations during retraction.

2 Airbus A320 Landing Gear

For a better understanding of the Airbus A320 landing gear, there are several aspects that
should be further studied. First of all, the Airbus A320 has to be described in general. (2.1)
Each landing gear compartment is divided in the gear itself and the door. (2.2)
Brakes are needed to bring the aircraft to a standstill. (2.3)
The technical training manual of the Airbus A320 is the main source for this chapter.
2.1 General
There are many systems in an Airbus A320, but the hydraulic system is the most important
system for the landing gear (2.1.1). The landing gears can be controlled from the cockpit
using the landing gear controls and indicators (2.1.2).
2.1.1 Landing Gear Systems

The overall lay-out of the Airbus A320 shows where every landing gear segment is
connected to the aircraft (A). The landing gear makes extensive use of the hydraulic system
when it retracts or when the brakes are in usage. (B).
A Overall lay-out of the Airbus A320

The Airbus A320 is a commercial aircraft with an MTOW of 77.400 kg. The landing gear of
the Airbus A320 consists of a nose landing gear section and two main landing gear sections
with two wheels per gear (Fig 2.1). The main landing gear can be retracted in the wing,
which is why it is also called a wing gear.
1. Nose Landing gear

2. Main Landing gear
Fig. 2.1: Airbus A320 Landing gear positions.
The nose landing gear, consisting of two wheels, is located near the front of the aircraft (1).
The main landing gears, consisting of two frames with each two wheels, are located under
the wings of the aircraft (2).

B Hydraulic system
The landing gear door, the retraction mechanism and the brakes are hydraulically powered.
The Airbus A320 has three hydraulic systems, the green, the blue and the yellow system
(Fig 2.2).
Each system has a hydraulic reservoir which contains hydraulic fluid. This fluid is pressurized
by an engine pump, or an electric pump. The pressure level of each reservoirs is controlled
by the Power Transfer Unit (PTU). The landing gear mainly uses the green reservoir, and
uses the yellow reservoir as back up.
Fig. 2.2: Hydraulic system
The “users” in the schematic overview could be any system, ranging from the landing gears
to the flight controls of the aircraft.
2.1.2 Cockpit
The landing gear is operated from the cockpit. The pilot uses the landing gear controls to
operate the landing gears, and uses the indicators to check the position and status of the
gears. The cockpit systems pertaining to the landing gear controls can be divided in the
following categories:
1 Landing Gear extension and retraction

2 Steering
3 Braking
Ad 1 Landing Gear extension and retraction

The landing gear lever is used to extend or retract the landing gears. The landing gear lever
must be pulled before selecting one of two possible positions. When the landing gear is not
down and locked in landing configuration, the red arrow light of the control lever turns on.
On the instrument panel, there are two indications (Fig. 2.3, pg. 22) provided for each
landing gear. A green triangle (1) indicates whether the related gear is locked in down
position. The red "UNLK" light (2) indicates whether the corresponding gear is not locked in
the selected position.

1 NLG green triangle light

2 NLG red "UNLK" light
Fig. 2.3: Landing gear indications.
Ad 2 Steering
Nose wheel steering up to an angle of 6° is provided by the rudder pedals. For further
deflection, the pilot uses the steering hand wheels (Appendix VII), which are located on the
side panel near the side stick. The steering hand wheel controls the nose wheel steering
angle up to 74° in either direction. On each hand wheel, a rudder pedal disconnect
pushbutton allows the rudder pedal steering orders to be disconnected.
Manual nose wheel steering can only be used when the nose wheel steering switch on the
brake panel (Fig. 2.4) is set to “ON”.
When the rudder pedals and hand wheel are operated at the same time, their signals are
algebraically added.
Ad 3 Braking
Manual braking is provided by pushing the toe brakes on the foot pedals. Automatic braking
is provided by the auto brake system (Fig. 2.4), which decelerates the aircraft at a pre-
programmed deceleration rate.
There are two indications provided for the auto brake system (1). The "ON" light illuminates
with a blue color when the system is armed. The "DECEL" light turns to green when the
correct deceleration is reached.
The brakes can be locked by the pilot by pushing the brake pedals and then pulling the
parking brake handle. The parking brakes will be disabled when pushing the toe brakes
again.
Anti-skid control can be switched on with the anti-skid & nose wheel steering switch (2).
1 1 Auto brake setting

2 Antiskid/Nose wheel
steering switch
Fig. 2.4: Brake Panel.
2.2 Landing gear and doors

The main landing gear of an Airbus A320 consists of two main gears that retract into the
fuselage of the aircraft (2.2.1) and a nose gear that retracts in a forward motion (2.2.2). The
doors that enclose the landing gear bays are electrically controlled and hydraulically
powered.

2.2.1 Main landing gear and door

The main landing gears consist of two gears under each wing of the aircraft (A). To extend
the landing gear, the landing gear doors will first have to be opened and right after retracting
the landing gears, the doors have to close to reduce drag (B).
A Main Landing gear description

Each main landing gear (MLG) (Fig. 2.5) has a leg where all secondary parts are connected
to. The oleo-pneumatic shock absorbers (1) have the task of absorbing the load of the
aircraft and the shocks created during landing. A bar, or slave link (2), prevents the hydraulic
pipes and electric wires from coming in contact with the wheels. The damper (3) is a two way
hydraulic unit that is used to absorb the landing vibrations with the torque links.
The main landing gear is connected to the wing with the side stay assembly (4). The side
stay assembly also prevents a turning movement of the landing gear. A lock assembly (5)
locks the landing gear after extension. The retraction actuators (6) retract the landing gear.
1 Shock absorber
2 Bar / Slave link
5
3 Torque link damper
4 Side stay
5 Lock stay
6 Retraction Actuator
4
Fig. 2.5: The main landing gears.
B Main landing gear doors

The main landing gear doors (Fig. 2.6) close upon retraction of the landing gears to lessen
the drag during flight. The doors can be categorized under the following topics:
1 One main door

2 One hinged fairing
3 One fixed fairing
Ad 1 Main door
The main door (1) is connected to the fuselage and is operated by an hydraulic actuator (2).
An uplock roller (3) and the door uplock (4) keep the doors closed. The door uplock is closed

mechanically, locking the door in the closed position, and hydraulically opened, releasing the
door during normal extension and retraction sequences. The uplock can also be opened
mechanically in free fall extension and ground door opening.
The steps (5) are installed to make the compartment more accessible for maintenance.
Ad2 Hinged fairing

The hinged fairing (6) is attached to the wing skin by a single hinge and to the landing gear
with an adjustable tie rod. The adjustable tie rod causes the hinged fairing to follow the
landing gear during landing gear extension and retraction.
Ad3 Fixed fairing

The fixed fairing (7) is attached to the outboard side of the landing gear. Two adjustable
studs are installed at the front of the landing gear. Three rod ends are installed on the front of
the landing gear.
1 Main door
2 Actuator
3 Uplock roller
4 Door uplock
6 5 Steps
6 Hinged Fairing
7 Fixed Fairing
Fig. 2.6: The main landing gear doors.
2.2.2 Nose landing gear and door

The nose landing gear (NLG) is used for steering the aircraft when it is on the ground (A).
The construction of the NLG is very similar to the construction of the MLG (B). It also has
doors to close off the landing gear compartment after retraction (C).
A Steering
The Airbus A320 can steer with an angle of 6º (Appendix VIII) when using his rudder pedals
or with an angle of 74º when using the electric steering system. When the aircraft is towed or
pushed back, an angle of 95º is possible

The electric steering system (Appendix IX) makes the aircraft easier to maneuver. It is
controlled with a separate steering wheel (Fig. 2.7) installed in the cockpit for both the
captain and the co-pilot.
The pilot can make the aircraft move about its axle by steering the hand wheel (1). However,
before the hand wheels can be used, the rudder pedals will have to be overruled by pressing
the center button (2).
1 Steering hand wheel

1 2 Center button
Fig. 2.7: The main landing gear doors.
B Nose landing gear construction

A nose landing gear has many parts (Fig. 2.8) which make it function. To lock the NLG in
extended position, the lock stay is used (1). The fore stay (2) is connected to an arm, and is
used to keep the parts together.
Once the landing gear has been retracted, it needs to be kept in that position. This is the
function of the uplock assembly with uplock roller (3). The actuating cylinder (4) bring the
landing gear in position without any vibrations.
The proximity detectors (5) monitor the direct acting integral shock absorber (6) and the
wheel direction and keep the
The actuating cylinder (7) causes the wheels to return to the center position before gear
extension. The steering actuating cylinder is parallel to the aircraft centerline.
4 1 lock stay
2 fore stay
3 3 uplock roller
4 actuating cylinder
1 5 proximity detector
6 shock absorber
7 actuating cylinder
7
Fig. 2.8: The nose landing gear.

C Nose landing gear doors

The nose landing gear (Fig. 2.9) doors include: two main doors (1), two aft doors (2) and one
leg door (3). The main doors are hydraucally powered. These two doors are mechanically
connected to the aircraft. The doors are kept close by an uplock assembly.
The two aft doors close when the NLG is retracted. These aft doors can close when the gear
is extendend and reduce the drag this way. The leg door is a fixed fairing used to close the
hole where the drug strut comes out when the gear is extended.
1 Main door
2 Aft door
3 Leg door
Fig. 2.9: The nose landing gear doors.
2.3 Braking component and wheel

The wheels of an aircraft are a very important part of the landing gears (3.2.1). These wheels
will have to bare most of the first impact forces when the aircraft lands. The wheels can make
the aircraft come to a standstill with the normal braking system (3.2.2), or the auto-braking
and anti-skid systems (3.2.3). To configure the status of the aircraft, the air ground logic
system is used (2.3.4).
2.3.1 Wheel description

The wheels of an aircraft are constructed in such a way that they can carry the weight of the
aircraft and can house the brakes. The Airbus A320 has four wheels on the main landing
gear (A) and two on the nose landing gear. (B)
A Main Landing Gear Wheels

The wheels of an Airbus A320 are of the split in half type (Fig. 2.10). The reason for making
the wheels separable through the middle, is to prevent the tires from getting damaged when
fitting them on the wheels.
When the tires are put in place, the other half of the wheel is bolted on the first half with high
tensile steel bolts (1). The inflation valve (2) is then used to inflate the tire to the proper tire
pressure.
There are several situations that can cause the tire pressure to become too high. To prevent
the tires from exploding in these situations, the vent port (3) will vent some of the nitrogen to
relieve the excessive pressure.
Six fuse plugs are installed to ensure that the excessive pressure is released, when the
temperature becomes too high. These fuse plugs melt when the temperature becomes too
high. The wheel has two sets of fuse plugs: the first set is installed on the wheel web (4) and

has a melting point of 183 ºC, and the second set is placed inside the keys (5) with a melting
point of 300 ºC. The weight of the main wheels is approximately 61 kilograms (kg).
B Nose landing gear wheels

The design of the nose landing gear is very similar to that of the main landing gear. The
wheels are also made from two forged pieces held together by high tensile steel bolts and
sealed by an O-ring. However, the weight of the wheel is approximately 16 kg. The nose
landing gear uses an overpressure relieve valve and has a bolt that can be replaced by an
incorporated pressure indicator.
1 Steel bolts
2 2 Inflation valve
3 Vent ports
4
4 Wheel web
5 5 Keys
1
Fig. 2.10: An Airbus A320 wheel.
2.3.2 Normal Braking

The A-320 has got four brakes which are pressurized by hydraulic pressure. The A-320 has
two brake systems, the normal brake system and the alternate brake system.
This subparagraph is especially about the (manual) normal braking section of the system.
First the normal braking and alternate system will be overall explained (A), and then a
particular part of the normal braking system will be described: the manual normal braking
(B).
A The difference between normal braking and alternate braking

The normal braking system is the system which is pressurized by the green hydraulic
system.
When this pressure is under a prescribed value, the yellow system will manage the braking
system. This is called the alternate system.
There are several functions which are pressurized by the green and yellow system.
The green system powers the manual normal braking, the auto brake and the anti skid
function.
The yellow system powers the parking brake, alternate braking without anti-skid and
alternate braking with anti-skid.
We can conclude that the auto brake has no back up.
B Manual Normal Braking

The manual normal braking means manually braking under normal circumstances.
(Fig 2.11) illustrates the overall scheme of the in-and outputs.

Manual braking is done by pedals. This input will be mechanically transmitted to the Brake
Transmitter Unit (XMTR*) (1).
This unit has the task to convert the mechanical input into a electrical output and will send it
to the Braking and Steering Control Unit (BSCU*) (2).
Fig 2.11: Overall scheme of the manual normal braking system
The BSCU receives also an input from the green reservoir for knowing if the pressure is
sufficient (3).
The information of the green pressure will be send electrically by the BSCU to the selector
valve (4). This valve is an on/off valve and lets the hydraulic fluid pass when the pressure is
sufficient.
This selector valve will receive the pressure by the automatic selector which chooses the
normal and alternate braking system (5).
The normal valve receives hydraulic pressure by the selector valve (6) but the amount of
pressure will be regulated by the BSCU electrically (7).This normal valve will lead the
pressure to the brakes (8).
The pedals, XMTR unit and the BSCU are located in or under the cockpit. The green
reservoir, automatic selector and the selector valve are located in the main landing gear
compartment. The normal servo valves and the brakes are located on the landing gear itself
For more detailed technical illustrations of the manual normal braking systems see
(Appendix X)
2.3.3 Auto Brake and Anti-Skid system

The auto brake and the anti-skid system are integrated in the normal braking system.
The auto brake system is a feature which let the plane brake by „itself. It is particularly used
at a Rejected Take Off (RTO) (A). The anti skid system is a feature which prevents slipping
by means of giving the wheels the same friction; this friction will be realized by braking (B).
A Auto-Brake System and the BSCU of the Auto-Brake System

The auto brake is a feature which lets the plane brake by itself by giving an input to the auto
brake panel (Fig 2.12). The alternate system does not support the auto brake system.
The input of the auto brake system starts in the cockpit. The auto brake panel has three
different options: LO, MED and MAX. These are three different deceleration rates; the MAX
option is used for a RTO. The input of the auto brake panel goes electrically to the BSCU (1).
When the pedals are pushed the auto brake will directly disarm (2). The auto brake will

activate when the ground spoilers are deployed, the spoiler is monitored by the Spoiler
Elevator Computer (SEC*) (3). The AirSpeed of the plane is necessary to know for
comparing it with the chosen deceleration mode, this is important for calculating the actual
deceleration speed. The airspeed values are kept by the Air Data Inertial Reference System
(ADIRS*). This computer will give the BSCU the required airspeed (4).
Like manual normal braking, the BSCU also checks if there is enough green pressure (5).
Fig 2.12: Overall scheme of the Auto-Brake System

After checking the green pressure, the BSCU gives the selector valve an electrical input (6).
And if there is enough pressure the hydraulic fluid will go through the selector valve (7), to
the normal servo valve (8).
This normal servo valve will gain an electrical input of the amount of pressure from the BSCU
(9), and controls the pressure to the brakes (10).
Here is a short explanation of the BSCU when it is involved with the Auto-Brake System (Fig
2.13)
.
Fig 2.13: Auto-Brake System BSCU
The pilot has to choose between three deceleration modes

Because there is a choice the three deceleration modes has to lead to an OR-gate. Another
requirement was that the ground spoiler has to be deployed and the green pressure has to
be sufficient.
The ground spoiler, the green pressure and the auto brake panel is an addition som so it
leads to an AND-gate.
The last requirement was that the pedals may not be pushed for auto brake activation.
So the inverter inverts the signal from the pedals and sends it to a switch. This signal leads
to the normal servo valve.
B Anti Skid System

For preventing skidding there is an anti skid system in larger aircraft (Fig 2.14, pg. 31). The
anti skid system must be activated with the „anti skid & nose wheel steering‟ switch, this will
give an electrical input to the BSCU (1). The tachometer measures the wheel speed of the
several wheels and gives an input to the BSCU (2). Like the auto brake, the anti skid needs
also air data information for anti skid computations (3). Green pressure is also used for anti
skid, but there is also the yellow system which stands by. The automatic selector lets the
yellow pressure go through when the green pressure is too low. The green system gives an
input to the BSCU (4).
Fig. 2.14: The anti-skid system
After this the BSCU gives an electrical input to the selector valve (5). And when there is
enough pressure the automatic selector will let the green hydraulic fluid go through to the
selector valve (6). The selector valve lets the hydraulic pressure go to the normal servo valve
(7) which is electrically controlled by the BSCU for the amount of pressure (8). The normal
servo valve will let the pressure pass to the brakes (9).
2.3.4 Air ground logic

The air ground logic system receives air ground logic signals from sensors located on each
main landing gear. The information is used to configure the status of the aircraft.
Both main landing gear struts are equipped with ground sensing switches. The ground
sensing switches indicate if the shock absorbers are compressed. They give signal “on
ground” when the main landing gear struts are compressed. When the aircraft is flying, there
is no weight on the oleo struts and thus they are extended. A signal “in flight” will then be
given.

There are several important systems that depend on this air ground logic system. For
instance the autobrakes and thrust reverers can only be activated in the ground mode. The
autopilot, on the other hand, is only operative in flight mode.

3 Troubleshooting and Maintenance

Every airliner has technical landing gear problems on their fleet. To recover the failures and
to make sure that they never happen again, every regular airliner has an engineering
department (3.1). While an engineer is solving the problem, the maintenance department is
informed and together they will come with a solution for repair (3.2). When the maintenance
and the troubleshooting has been done, the department makes a conclusion. Sometimes the
manufacturer has to be contact for warning other airliners by an Service Bulletin (3.3).
3.1 Failures
When a fleet operates, at one time or another some failures will occur to the landing gear.
The two parts where the most frequent failures occur are, the tyres and the brakes. The tyres
are a good indicator for the braking system. If it does not work correctly, tires will run flat
(3.1.1). An other failure which sometimes occurs, is that the landing gear does not extend or
retract. (3.1.2). When the braking system of the landing gear fails, several things could have
happened. Brakes are a serious safety issue and therefore research needs to be done.
(3.1.3)
3.1.1 Flat tire

Each single tire is made out of several layers, they are called: tubules tires. The Airbus A-320
family ( A318, A319, A-320 and A321) uses the radial tire from Michelin (figure: 3.1).
Fig. 3.1: Michelin Radial Tire
When a tire runs flat, the layers are penetrated or worn. When a tire is flat, it needs to be
replaced. It can not be repaired like a tire of your bike. The tire needs to be taken of and a
new tire must be replaced. This in according with the A-320 technical manual. A flat tire
always gives trouble. Specially when it happens during a RTO or in flight.
A RTO several knots before the decision speed (v1) will cause even more damage to the
other tires and brakes. Due to the high friction of the tires and brakes, temperature in all
wheels can reach critical heights and fire can develop.
When a tire runs flat during flight, a few things may have happened: the tire was already
penetrated before takeoff and exploded inside the landing gear department or the tire floated
gently empty. The first reason is more likely because of the high pressure inside the tire and
the low pressure in high air.

3.1.2 Gear down failure

Probably the biggest failure which can be thought of, is a not extending landing gear.(Fig
3.2) Not only the aircraft has to make an emergency landing, it can cost lives as well . These
failures are caused by an hydraulic failure in the landing gear system. The landing gear of
the Airbus A-320 family have shown no failures while it was extending, but has shown seven
failures with retraction. Seven times made a A-320 since 1989 an emergency lading caused
by a 90 degree turned nose landing gear. During these emergency landings, there were no
casualties. After investigation, it came out that there was a design problem in the shock
absorber. All shock absorbers were modified.
Fig. 3.2: 90-degree turned NLG.
3.1.3 Brake failure

Brakes and tires are often replaced, the friction of the ground and the impact of the landing
got a large impact on tires and brakes. Brake failures do not occur often, because brakes are
inspected very often. But if a brake failure occurs, the brakes on other wheels of the boogie
or the thrust reversers are used. The thrust reversers are used when an aircraft has touched
down and by reversing the roll-out is decreased. From reality we learn that there is another
problem with the wheels. This problem has to do with the nose wheel axle. Since 1989, 69
failures with the nose wheel axle have occurred. 43 resulted in a damaged axle and
replacement of the nose wheel sliding piston. By the investigations from Transportation
Safety Board of Canada, it became clear that due to friction in failed bearings the cadmium
melting point was exceeded. Cadmium weakened and penetrated the inter-structure of the
nose landing gear axle (Fig 3.3), causing it to fail due to hot liquid metal rip.
Fig. 3.3: Axle gear failure.

3.2 Maintenance
In order to ensure safe operation of the aircraft and to increase the dispatch reliability of the
aircraft, maintenance is done. The parts of the landing gear, which are the most liable to
maintenance and therefore form the most substantive part of maintenance costs, are tires
(3.2.1) and brakes (3.2.2).
Visual inspections are carried out on the pre flight check by ground engineers and pilot. They
provide a certain level of safety to detect clear damage to equipment.
3.2.1 Tire replacement

Tires are the most expensive landing gear parts to maintain. The replacement interval
depends on the way of usage. An average of 200 landings can be made with a full set of
tires.
Tires are always replaced together with the rims. They can be easily pulled off by taking off
the nuts. The new tire is put on and the nuts are put back in place. The aircraft can continue
to operate.
3.2.2 Brake replacement

The brakes are located in the rims. The use of brakes is resulting in a less thick brake discs,
witch results in a need of brake replacement. Brakes discs are therefore checked on
thickness on a regular base. When the wear pin has reached its limit, the brakes are
replaced.
3.2.3 Costs
Operation costs for the landing gear part of the aircraft can be divided into two direct costs
(A) and indirect costs (B).
A Direct costs
Direct Costs are costs that can be associated directly with the landing gear. As they are the
most liable to maintenance, the most substantive part of these costs is formed by:
Airlines can lease their landing gear. In that case they do not own the landing gear itself and
also don‟t have to pay the full purchase costs. When the landing gear is leased, the costs will
be about €32.000.
1 Tires
2 Brakes
Ad 1 Tires
Tires are by far the most common parts to need replacement. Tires can be recovered, when
the wear is within limits, to reduce operating costs. Costs are varying due to different degrees
of wear, caused by different weather, taxi time, use of brakes and autobrake settings. The
costs involved for tire replacement are roughly €2700 for a main gear and €1500 for a nose
gear.
Ad 2 Brakes
The costs for brakes can be reduced by using other ways to slow down. For instance reverse
thrust and spoilers. The use of carbon based brakes is also financially attractive since they

are relative slowly worn out in comparison to brakes made of other materials. Annual costs
for wheels and brakes together are an estimated €106.000.
B Indirect Costs
Indirect costs are costs that are not directly accountable to the landing gear; these are fixed
costs. Indirect costs include taxes, administration, personnel and security costs.
3.3 Solution to the failures

The failures that occurred have technical backgrounds. The airlines which got strikes by the
failures, contacted the manufacturer of the aircraft. Airbus at his time, contacted the
manufacturer of the failed part. Airbus and the part manufacturer came with a solution. They
reported their findings and modifications to the airliners which are operating with the A320.
Normally an Airworthiness Directive (AD*) is issued by the aviation authorities (European
Aviation Safety Agency and by IVW the Dutch aviation authority). ADs are mandatory in most
jurisdictions, sometime the AD needs to be completed first to the next flight. But when the
modification has not got a big priority or is more a luxury problem, the aircraft manufacturer
(Airbus) gives out an Service Bulletin (SB*). The airline company can now decide on its own
to modify their aircrafts. In the case of the A320 axle failure, a SB was given out, and after
the SB an AD came out. Because some airliners did not modify their aircrafts, accidents
happened. To be sure that no more accidents happen, EASA and FAA gave out the AD.

Abbrevation list
A
ABS Auto Brake System
AD
Airwothiness Directive
B
BSCU Braking and Steering Control Unit
C
CS Certification Specification
E
EASA Europian Aviation Safety Agency
F
FAA Federal Aviation Authorities
L
LGCIU Landing Gear Control Interface Unit
M
MAC Mean Aerodinamic Chord
MLG Main Landing Gear
MLW Maximum Landing Weight
MTOM Maximum Take Off Mass
MTW Maximum Taxiing Weight
N
NLG Nose Landing Gear
P
PTU Power TransferUnit
R
RAT Ram Air Turbine
RTO Rejected Take off
S
SB Service Bulliten
V
VLS College Vliegtuig Systemen.
X
XMTR Brake Transmitter Unit

Bibliography
Books:
Airbus industrie
A319/A-320/A321
Technical training manual
Mechanics / Electrics & Avionics course
32 Landing gear
Aircraft Landing gear design

Principles and practices
Norman S. Currey
No specific data available
EASA
Cs-25 large aircrafts
EU, 02-10-2006
F.J. Siers
Methodisch ontwerpen: volgens H.H. van den Kroonenberg
3e druk
Groningen, 2004.
Langedijk, C.J.A., J.G.W. van Ruitenbeek en J.M. Nieuwenhuijse

Vliegtuigen voor B1 en B3
Deel D
Schiphol, 1998
Wentzel, Tilly
Het projectgroepsverslag
Amsterdam, 2006
Amsterdamse Hogeschool voor Techniek
R. Wilkinson
Aircraft Structures & Systems
Essex, 1998
Websites:
Sonny T. Chai and William H. Mason

http://www.aoe.vt.edu/~mason/Mason_f/M96SC.html
Virginia, September 1996
Last updated:18-06-2007, last seen: 04-09-2007
http://www.easa.eu.int/home/certspecs_en.html
Last updated: 05-09-2007, last seen: 02-09-2007
http://www.nasascale.org/howtos/mac-calculator.htm
last updated: 2007, last seen: 24-09-2007

List of Appendices
I Project Assignment 1
II Pyramid Model 3
III Task and Planning Schedule 4
IV Working schedule group 2A2L 5
V Mechanics 6
VI Landing Gear Types 8
VII Hydraulic Fluid specification 9
VIII Landing gear retraction 10
IX Landing Gear Operation 11
X Landing Gear Doors 12
XI Types of Wheels 13
XII Hand wheel Steering Unit 14
XIII Retraction main landing gear A320 15
XIV Angles 16
XV Steering system 17
XVI Brake system A320 18
XVII Process Report 19

Appendix I Project Assignment

Amsterdamse Hogeschool voor Techniek
Aviation Studies
Periode: 5
Onderwerp: Ontwerpanalyse Landingsgestel
Groep: 2A2L
Uitgangssituatie
Luchtvaartmaatschappij Amstel Leeuwenburg Airlines [ALA] geeft de afdeling Engineering
opdracht een onderzoek in te stellen naar storingen die voor kunnen komen bij onderstellen
en daaraan gerelateerde systemen. Hierbij kan gedacht worden aan het remsysteem
inclusief “auto brakes” en “anti skid”, en “air/ground logic” voor onder andere het “auto
spoiler” systeem of het beschikbaar komen van de “thrust reverser”.
Opdrachtformulering
Als projectteam van de maatschappij gaan jullie het ontwerp van een landingsgestel
analyseren, met een verantwoording van de opbouw en werking van het gekozen systeem.
Daarnaast wordt een analyse gemaakt van voorkomende storingen en hoe deze de
“dispatch” van vliegtuigen, met name de luchtwaardigheid van het toestel, kunnen
beïnvloeden. Hiervoor zal men de MEL of DDG moeten raadplegen.
Richtlijnen
Aan welke eisen moet het landingsgestel voldoen (regelgeving)?
Welke ontwerpaspecten liggen aan het systeem ten grondslag (onderhoud,
duurzaamheid, veiligheid en kosten)?
Welke constructiemethoden zijn toegepast (let hierbij op: ligging zwaartepunt bij
toepassing van een neus- of staartwiel; bevestiging aan vleugel of romp;
besturingsmechanismen van neus- en hoofdonderstel; intrek-, up- en
downlockmechanismen; verende stijlen; alternate gear extension; bediening en
indicaties)?
Hoe heeft de fabrikant zijn materiaalkeuze bepaald (sterkte, duurzaamheid, gewicht)?
Welke krachten en momenten werken op het onderstel tijdens de verschillende
vluchtfasen, met en zonder zijwind (taxiën, start en landing)?
In hoeverre kunnen trillingen ontstaan en hoe worden die voorkomen of gedempt?
Hoe is de werking van subsystemen, die afhankelijk zijn van of samenhangen met het
gebruik van het landingsgestel?
Wat voor storingen kunnen zich zoal voordoen in het onderstel of de subsystemen?
Randvoorwaarden voor het project

Randvoorwaarden zijn in feite eisen van de opdrachtgever, waar het project absoluut aan
moet voldoen. Deze eisen zijn:
De tijdsduur van het project is zeven weken (week 35-41), het verslag moet
ingeleverd zijn op 11 oktober 2007, vóór 16.30u. De toetsing vindt plaats in week 43;
Uiterlijk aan het eind van de tweede week moet een Startdocument worden
ingeleverd, waarin de projectplanning en de taakverdeling binnen de groep is
opgenomen;
Het project wordt aangepakt volgens de algemene projectindeling en de methodiek
van Van den Kroonenberg (Siers, 2004);
Het eindrapport wordt aan de directie van ALA gepresenteerd in de vorm van een
verslag, dat voldoet aan het dictaat Wentzel (2006);

Het verslag wordt in het Engels geschreven, is ingevoerd in de computer en heeft,

exclusief
Bijlagen, een omvang van 30-40 pagina‟s.
Het projectverslag
Met dit project krijgen jullie een tamelijk complexe opdracht, die je binnen zeer korte tijd moet
hebben uitgevoerd. In het propedeusejaar hebben jullie geleerd om projecten te plannen,
aan te pakken en (synchroon aan het project) de bevindingen van jullie onderzoek
gestructureerd op te schrijven in het projectverslag.
Met de leerervaringen uit dat eerste jaar moeten jullie nu je voordeel doen. Probeer te
voorkomen dat er opnieuw stress ontstaat in de laatste week voor inlevering van het verslag,
of dat theorietentamens (week 44) onvoldoende worden voorbereid.
Hoewel het verslag geschreven moet worden in de Engelse taal, wordt op de mondelinge
toets aan het eind van de periode gewoon in het Nederlands gepresenteerd.
Zelfsturende opdracht
In de Bijlage is een nieuwe zelfsturende opdracht Mechanica opgenomen. Hierbij zullen jullie
voor drie verschillende uitgangssituaties een aantal berekeningen moeten uitvoeren ter
bepaling van krachten of momenten. De uitwerkingen van de berekeningen worden uiterlijk
op 27 september 2007 om 16:30 ingeleverd bij de projectdocent. Het cijfer voor deze
opdracht telt, net zoals in jaar 1, voor 25% mee in het uiteindelijke verslagcijfer.

Appendix II Pyramid Model

Appendix III Task and Planning Schedule

Appendix IV Working schedule group 2A2L

Verslagonderdeel Taak van:
Titelpagina Arman
Inhoudsopgave Arman
Inleiding verslag Raouf
Summary Bart
1 Aspects of landing gear Bart
1.1 Types of landing gear Bart
1.2 Physics Arman
1.2.1 Mechanics Arman and Anne
1.2.2 Aerodynamics Anne
1.3 Shock absorbers Raouf
1.4 Retraction Arman
1.5 Wheels and brakes Anne
1.5.1 Wheels Anne
1.5.2 Tires Anne
1.5.3 Brakes Anne
1.6 Laws and regulations Bart
1.6.1 General Bart
1.6.2 Retraction Bart
1.6.3 Wheels and tires Bart
1.6.4 Breaking system Bart
1.6.5 Nose Wheel Bart
2 Airbus A320 landing gear Kamal, Philip, Erwin
2.1 General Kamal
2.1.1 Systems Kamal
2.1.2 Cockpit Erwin
2.2 Landing gear and doors Philip
2.2.1 Main landing gear Philip
2.2.2 Nose landing gear doors Philip
2.3 Components of a brake and wheels Kamal and Philip
2.3.1 Wheels Philip
2.3.2 Normal brakes Kamal
2.3.3 Auto brake and anti-skid system Kamal
3 Troubleshooting Erwin and Diederick
3.1 Failures Diederick
3.1.1 Flat tire Diederick
3.1.2 Gear down failure Diederick
3.1.3 Failure of brakes Diederick
3.2 Maintenance Erwin
3.2.1 Tire replacement Erwin
3.2.2 Brake replacement Erwin
3.2.3 Costs Erwin
3.3 Conclusion Diederick
Bibliography Anne
Abbreviation list Bart
Appendices list Arman
Special assignment Arman, Kamal, Anne
Process Report Anne
Correcting the report Arman
The working schedule shows all the tasks done by the group members. It can deviate with the
original schedule, because some students could not finish their task and others had to take it
over.

Appendix V Mechanics
In the project report the different equations for the derivation of the centre of gravity were
described. Now these will be used for the calculation of the load distribution on the nose and
main wheel with different center of gravity of the A320. The centre of gravity changes with
weight and loading of the airplane.
Forces on an Airbus A320

Following the knowledge can be used to calculate the center of gravity and the moments for
the A 320, which data can be found in table 1.
weight/ 42500kg 60280kg 73280kg

CG 27% 32.7% 30.5%
dry op. zero fuel take off weight
weight weight
A= 10.5m
B= 2.5m
S= 24.58degrees
Y= (34m-7m)/2=14m
Table1
S sin 24.58 0.416m (1)
2(10 .5 2.5) (0.5 10 .5 2.5)

MAC 10 .5 7.32 m (2)
3(10 .5 2.5)
0.416 (10 .5 2 2.5)
c 0.615 m (3)
3(10 .5 2.4)
After the calculation of the needed data, the centre of gravity on 27% (1), 30.5% (2) and
32.7% (3) can be calculated.
CG1 27 / 100 7.32 0.615 2.14m (4)

CG2 30.5 / 100 7.32 0.615 2.34m
CG 32.7 / 100 7.32 0.615 2.55m
After knowing he position of the centre of gravity, the moments can be derived, to know if the
landing gear can stand the forces acting on it during ground situation or not.
For all three center of gravity the forces into x and y direction are the same:
Fy = FN –CG + 2∙FM=0
Centre of gravity 1
Distance of centre of gravity from nose:= 13.073+2.14=15.213m
Difference between main landing gear and CG= 17.71-15.213=2.497m
Distance from nose gear to CG= 15.213-5.07=10.143m

Now the moment can be calculated around the main landing gear to derive the unit of the
nose landing gear (the moment is assumed to be positive anticlockwise)
FCG= 42500kgx 9.81ms-2=416925N
Mm= - FN∙12.64 + 416925x2.497 = 0
FN= 82362.48N
Fy = 82362.48 – 416925+ 2∙FM=0
FM=167281.26N
Load on nose gear= 19.755 %

Load on main gear= 80.245%
Centre of gravity 2:
Fcg= 73280x 9.81=718876.8N
Mm= - FN∙12.64 + 718876.8x2.297 = 0
FN= 130637.66 N
Fy = 130637.66 – 718876.8+ 2∙FM=0
FM=294119.57 N

Load on main gear= 81.83 %
Centre of gravity 3:
Fcg= 60280x 9.81=591346.8N
Mm= - FN∙12.64 + 591346.8x2.087 = 0
FN= 97637.72 N
Fy = 97637.72 – 591346.8+ 2∙FM=0
FM=246854.54 N

Load on main gear= 83.49 %

Appendix VI Landing Gear Types

Engineers thought about different options to store the landing gear in the body or the wings
of the aircraft. One option is a fixed landing gear (picture 1)
(picture 1)
The possibilities are to store it in the fuselage (picture 2),
(picture 2)
in between fuselage and wing (picture 3)
(picture 3)
or in the wing (picture 4),
(picture 4)
or in the engine (picture 5).
(picture 5)
In this manner it is integrated into the shape of the aircraft. The disadvantage of these
possibilities is that space for luggage or kerosene is taken away. There were engineers who
thought of another idea to make an extra space beneath the fuselage (looks like a small
room beneath the fuselage) or create space under the wing. Again there are advantages and
disadvantages. There is more room to take with extra luggage or kerosene, but again this
would disturb the aerodynamic shape of the aircraft. Again it would be less damaging than
leaving the whole landing gear out during flight.

Appendix VII Hydraulic Fluid specification

All kinds of airplanes use a different hydraulic oil for their shock absorbers. In the case of the
A320 skydrol is used. The different properties are described in the table.

Appendix VIII Landing gear retraction

This figure describes the different manners (a,b,c) a landing gear can be retracted.

Appendix IX Landing Gear Operation

Three green lights in the cockpit showing that the landing gears are locked in position. Also
called the three greens. The landing gear control allows the pilot to manually operate the
landing gear positions.
The three greens
Landing Gear Control

Appendix X Landing Gear Doors
Landing Gear Doors
The main landing gear doors of an Antanov-225.

Appendix XI Types of Wheels
Fuse plug
Wheel balance weight
Axle
Inner bearing
Outer bearing
Wheel bolt
Inflation valve
The whole divisible wheel can be separated vertically in the middle, so the tire has not to be
taken off so that the wheel can be maintained. This is used most in aviation. The most
important parts are the wheel bolt which holds the two parts together and the fuse plug,
where air is removed when the air in the tire gets too warm.
Fuse plug
Axis
The full divisible wheel has the advantage that maintenance is made easier.

Appendix XII Hand wheel Steering Unit
1
2
1. Pilots steering handwheel

2. Co-pilots steering handwheel
3. Rudder pedal disconnect button
With the steering unit the nose wheel can be steerd in a certain direction up to 78°.

Appendix XIII Retraction main landing gear A320
The landing gear is retracted inboard.

Appendix XIV Angles

The Airbus A-320 can steer with an angle of 6º when using his rudder pedals or with an angle of 74º
when using the electric steering system . When the airplane is pushed back the nose wheel can
deflect about 95º
Maximum steering angle
Maximum rudder steering
Maximum towing angle

Appendix XV Steering system
The electric schema shows, how an input is transformed into an output which is the moving
of the airplane in a certain direction.

Appendix XVI Brake system A320

Technical diagram of the Airbus A320 braking system
Basic diagram of the Airbus A320 normal braking system
The technical and electrical diagram show what happens with the input the pilot gives and
how it is transformed into an output which is that the airplane brakes.

Appendix XVII Process Report

In the beginning of the project the group met for the first time and spoke about all the
positive and negative experiences in the previous year.
The main problems that most students faced during the last project were that pieces of the
project were not finished in time, that students did not show up at meetings, that the work
load was too high at the end of the project, that the students did not follow the lay-out
agreements, and that some students had to work more than others.
At the end of this project we can again say that there were some negative and some positive
sides to this group.
The first problem we faced was that some students always showed up late during or simply
did not show up during any or most meetings. Sometimes this was not such a problem, but
on the other hand it created a lot of delay in the progress of the project because those
students were not aware of the status of the project or what their task(s) were for the new
week. Another negative side of this problem was that they either did not know what had to be
corrected in their previously made parts. Many times these students would not even call off
and just did not show up.
The second major problem was that some group members would not hand in their work on
time, and even at the end they would not show their text. This all eventually resulted in a
higher work load for some of the other students in the group, who at the same time had to
transform the bits and pieces into one report with proper lay-out and had to correct the
mistakes in the pieces. More than half of the written pieces were handed in late or were not
handed in at all and texts that corrected by the project mentor, were not fixed by these
students.
The third major problem was that most of the students did not follow any of the lay-out
agreements and that the level of English of some students is below an acceptable level.
The special assignment cost a lot of time to make because many of the students suddenly
did not agree with the task and planning schedule. According to the task and planning
schedule the special assignment had to be made by one particular student. In the week it
had to be made, a majority of the students did not agree with this and wanted it to be made
by all students at the same time. This sudden change in planning caused a major mess. The
planned project pieces were not finished on time and the level of mechanics of most students
was too low for them to be able to make any of the three assignments.
A positive thing about this project was the planning, which had an evenly spread work load
over the whole period and made it possible for the group to hand in the report on time.


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Table of contents

1 Aspects of a Landing Gear 3

1.1 Types of Landing Gear ................................................................................................ 3

2 Airbus A320 Landing Gear 20

2.1 General ......................................................................................................................... 20

3.1 Failures ........................................................................................................................ 32

Airbus A320 Landing Gear

The content of this report is divided into three chapters.

Airbus A320 Landing Gear

1 Aspects of a Landing Gear

1.1 Different Types of Landing Gear

1 Conventional Landing Gears

Ad 1 Conventional Landing Gear

1 Two front landing gear wheels

Fig. 1.1: Conventional configuration.

Ad 2 Tandem Landing Gear

Airbus A320 Landing Gear

1 Main back wheel

Fig. 1.2: Tandem configuration.

Ad 3 Floater Landing Gear

Fig. 1.3: Floater configuration

Ad 4 Ski Landing Gear

Fig. 1.4: Ski configuration.

Ad 5 Tricycle landing gear

Airbus A320 Landing Gear

1 Nose landing gear

Fig. 1.5: Tricycle configuration.

Fig. 1.6: Determining the MAC and CG.

Airbus A320 Landing Gear

where S = Sweep distance in [m].

where MAC = Mean Aerodynamic Chord in [m].

where c = Sweep distance at MAC in [m].

CG %MAC MAC c (4)

where CG = Centre of gravity in [m].

Airbus A320 Landing Gear

where CG = Center of gravity in [m].

where ∑FX = The sum of all horizontal forces in [N].

Ad 3 Forces on the Airbus A320

Airbus A320 Landing Gear

where FW = The friction force in [N]

Airbus A320 Landing Gear

where F = The force vector in [N].

a = The acceleration vector in [m·s-2].

Entering these values in the equation produces 1,320 MJ of kinetic energy.

Airbus A320 Landing Gear

where D = Drag in [N].

1.3 Shock Absorbers

C Oleo Pneumatic Struts

Airbus A320 Landing Gear

1 Compressed air or nitrogen

Fig. 1.7: Oleo Pneumatic Strut.

Fig. 1.8: Oleo Strut with separator.

Airbus A320 Landing Gear

The uplocks and downlocks operate automatically as

1.5 Wheels and Brakes

Airbus A320 Landing Gear

Fig. 1.10: Landing gear tires.

Airbus A320 Landing Gear

Construction and Operation

Airbus A320 Landing Gear

Fig. 1.11: Drum brakes.

Fig. 1.12: Disc brakes.

Airbus A320 Landing Gear

1 1 Brake wear pin.