The Design of Aircraft Landing Gear
The aircraft landing gear and its associated systems represent a
compelling design challenge: simultaneously a system, a structure,
and a machine, it supports the aircraft on the ground, absorbs
landing and braking energy, permits maneuvering, and retracts to
minimize aircraft drag. Yet, as it is not required during flight,
it also represents dead weight and significant effort must be made
to minimize its total mass.
The Design of Aircraft Landing Gear,
written by R. Kyle Schmidt, PE (B.A.Sc. - Mechanical Engineering,
M.Sc. - Safety and Aircraft Accident Investigation, Chairman of the
SAE A-5 Committee on Aircraft Landing Gear), is designed to guide
the reader through the key principles of landing system design and
to provide additional references when available. Many problems
which must be confronted have already been addressed by others in
the past, but the information is not known or shared, leading to
the observation that there are few new problems, but many new
people.
The Design of Aircraft Landing Gear is
intended to share much of the existing information and provide
avenues for further exploration. The design of an aircraft and its
associated systems, including the landing system, involves
iterative loops as the impact of each modification to a system or
component is evaluated against the whole. It is rare to find that
the lightest possible landing gear represents the best solution for
the aircraft: the lightest landing gear may require attachment
structures which don't exist and which would require
significant weight and compromise on the part of the airframe
structure design.
With those requirements and compromises in mind,The
Design of Aircraft Landing Gear starts with the study
of airfield compatibility, aircraft stability on the ground, the
correct choice of tires, followed by discussion of brakes, wheels,
and brake control systems. Various landing gear architectures are
investigated together with the details of shock absorber designs.
Retraction, kinematics, and mechanisms are studied as well as
possible actuation approaches. Detailed information on the various
hydraulic and electric services commonly found on aircraft, and
system elements such as dressings, lighting, and steering are also
reviewed. Detail design points, the process of analysis, and a
review of the relevant requirements and regulations round out the
book content.
The Design of Aircraft Landing Gear is a
landmark work in the industry, and a must-read for any engineer
interested in updating specific skills and students preparing for
an exciting career.