LANDING GEAR, BRAKES, AND HYDRAULIC UTILITY SYSTEMS

LANDING GEAR SYSTEMS Learning  Objective:  Identify  the  various  types of landing gear systems used on fixed-wing
and rotary-wing   aircraft. Every  aircraft  maintained  in  today’s  Navy  is equipped with a landing gear system.
Most Navy aircraft also use arresting and catapult gear. The landing gear is that portion of the aircraft that
supports the weight of the aircraft while it is on the ground. The landing gear contains components  that are
necessary for taking off and landing the aircraft safely. Some of these com- ponents are landing gear struts that
absorb landing and taxiing shocks; brakes that are used to stop and, in some cases, steer the aircraft; nosewheel
steering for steering the aircraft; and in some cases, nose catapult com- ponents  that  provide  the  aircraft  with
carrier  deck takeoff   capabilities.

FIXED-WING AIRCRAFT Landing gear systems in fixed-wing aircraft are similar in design. Most aircraft are equipped
with the tricycle-type retractable landing gear. Some types of landing gear are actuated in different sequences and
directions,  but  practically  all  are  hydraulically  operated and  electrically  controlled.  With  a  knowledge  of
basic hydraulics   and   familiarity   with   the   operation   of actuating system components, you should be able to
understand   the   operational   and   troubleshooting procedures for landing gear systems.

Main Landing Gear The typical aircraft landing gear assembly consists of  two  main  landing  gears  and  one
steerable  nose landing gear. is  installed  under  each  wing.  Because  aircraft  are different  in  size,  shape,  and
construction,  every  landing gear is specially designed. Although main landing gears are  designed  differently,  all
main  gear  struts  are  attached to strong members of the wings or fuselage so that the landing shock is distributed
throughout the main body of the structure. The main gears are also equipped with brakes that are used to shorten
the landing roll of the aircraft and to guide the aircraft during taxiing. Nose

Landing Gear On aircraft with tricycle landing gear, the nose gear is retracted either rearward or forward into the
aircraft fuselage.  Generally,  the  nose  gear  consists  of  a  single shock strut with one or two wheels attached. On
most aircraft the nose gear has a steering mechanism for taxiing  the  aircraft.  The  mechanism  also  acts  as  a
shimmy  damper  to  prevent  oscillation  or  shimmy  of  the nosewheel.  Since  the  nosewheel  must  be  centered
before it can be retracted into the wheel well, a centering device aligns the strut and wheel when the weight of the
aircraft is off the gear. Damping, steering, and centering devices are discussed later in this chapter.

ROTARY-WING  AIRCRAFT The  landing  gear  systems  on  rotary-wing  aircraft come in several different designs. A
helicopter may have a nonretractable landing gear, such as that found on the H-46 and H-60 helicopters, or it may
have a retractable type landing gear like that incorporated on the H-3 and H-53 helicopters. Some helicopters have
a nose landing gear while others have a tail landing gear. The H-53 has a retractable nose landing gear, but the H-
46 has the nonretractable type of nose landing gear. The H-3 and H-60 helicopters use tail landing gears. The  tail
landing  gear  on  both  these  helicopters  is nonretractable.  While  both  these  helicopters  have  tail landing
gear, the H-3 can retract its main landing gear while the H-60 has a nonretractable main landing gear. As you can
see, helicopter landing gear systems come  in  several  different  configurations.  The  landing gear systems on most
of the helicopters used in the Navy use wheel and brake assemblies. The components used in the landing gear
system of a helicopter are very similar to those used in a fixed-wing aircraft landing gear  system.  In  helicopters
that  use  retractable  landing gear systems, the components and means of actuation are also similar in design to
fixed-wing aircraft. For discussion purposes, we will use the landing also system of   the   H-60   helicopter.   This
helicopter   uses   a nonretractable main and tail landing gear. Main Landing Gear The  main  landing  gear  system
of  the  H-60 helicopter consists of nonretractable left and right single wheel   landing   gear   assemblies   and   the
weight- on-wheels system. Each main landing gear assembly is composed of a shock strut, drag beam, axle, wheel,
tire, and wheel brake. The left main landing gear assembly also includes a weight-on-wheels sensing switch, The
main landing gear supports the helicopter when it is on the ground, and cushions the helicopter from shock during
landing. The weight-on-wheels switch provides  helicopter  ground  or for  various  helicopter  systems.

Tail  Landing  Gear flight  status  indications The H-60 tail landing gear system consists of a dual- wheel landing
gear, tail wheel lock system, and tail bumper. The tail landing gear is a cantilever type with an integral shock strut.
The gear is capable of swiveling 360 degrees. It can be locked in the trail position by the tail wheel  lock  system.  A
tail  recovery  assist,  secure,  and traverse (RAST) probe is mounted on the tail gear.

LANDING  GEAR  SYSTEMS OPERATION Learning Objective:  Identify the operational and  troubleshooting   procedures
for   landing gear   systems. Landing gear systems on naval aircraft, as stated earlier, are similar in design. Most aircraft
equipped with the tricycle-type, retractable landing gear have two systems of operation, normal and emergency.

NORMAL  SYSTEM The  normal  system  of  a  “typical”  landing  gear system is described because many
components used in different landing gear systems are similar. Figure 12-2 is a schematic that shows the fluid flow
in the nose gear up cycle. This system contains a selector valve, flow regulators,  priority  valves,  check  valve,
actuating cylinders, and the necessary hydraulic tubing that routes hydraulic  fluid  to  and  from  the  required
components.

When the landing gear handle is in the UP position, a circuit is completed from the landing gear handle circuit
breaker, through the landing gear up switch, to the  selector  valve.  The  selector  valve  is  electrically positioned
to  direct  pressure  into  the  landing  gear  up lines and to vent the down lines to return. Fluid flows from the
selector valve, through a flow reguIator to the up  side  of  the  nose  gear  cylinder.  Fluid  also  flows through
another  flow  regulator  to  the  down  lock cylinder.  The  down  lock  cylinder  disengages  the  down lock, and the
nose gear cylinder starts to raise the nose gear. As the gear is raised, the nose gear doors are closed by mechanical
linkage. When the gear is fully retracted, the up lock mechanism engages the nose gear to lock it in  the  up
position.  The  up  lock  mechanism  is mechanically actuated through linkage connected to the nose gear. As soon
as the down lock mechanism is disengaged and the gear starts to retract, the pilot’s position indicator displays
change from a wheel to a barber pole, and the transition light on the landing gear control panel comes on. As soon
as the gear is up and locked, the transition
Figure  12-3.–Landing  gear  warning  and  position  indicator. light goes out and the position indicator changes from a
barber pole to UP, as shown in figure 12-3. When the landing gear is down and locked, wheels appear on the
indicator. EMERGENCY  SYSTEMS If the landing gear fails to extend to the down and locked  position,  each  naval
aircraft  has  an  emergency method   to   extend   the   landing   gear.   Emergency extension  systems  may  vary
from  one  aircraft  to another.  The  methods  used  may  be  the  auxiliary/ emergency hydraulic system, the air or
nitrogen system, or the mechanical free-fall system. An aircraft may contain  a  combination  of  these  systems.
For  example, the main landing gear emergency extension may be operated by the free-fall method and the nose
gear by the  auxiliary/hydraulic  system  method. The nitrogen storage bottle system is a one-shot system powered
by nitrogen pressure stored in four compressed nitrogen bottles Pushing in, rotating clockwise, and pulling out the
landing gear control handle actuates the emergency gear linkage connected to the manually operated release
valve on the nitrogen bottle. The release valve connects pressure from the bottle to each release valve of the
remaining  three  bottles.  The  compressed  nitrogen  from the manually operated bottle repositions the shuttle
valve in each of the other three nitrogen bottles and permits nitrogen pressure to flow to the extend side of the
cylinders. When the up lock hooks are released, the main gear drops by gravity, and the nose gear extends by a
combination of gravity and nitrogen pressure. Each gear extends until the down lock secures it in the down
position. At this time, the cockpit position indicator shows the down wheel, and the transition light on the control
panel goes out. During the emergency extension, cockpit indications on the indicator and the lighting of the
transition light are the same as during normal landing gear  extension. When the landing gear control handle is
actuated in the  emergency  landing  gear  position,  a  cable  between the control and the manually operated
nitrogen bottle opens the emergency gear down release valve on the bottle,  as  shown  in  the  schematic  in
figure  12-4. Nitrogen from this bottle actuates the release valves on the  other  three  bottle  so  that  they  will
discharge. Nitrogen  flow  from  the  manually  operated  bottle actuates the dump valves. This action cause the
shuttles within the shuttle valve on the aft door cylinders, and on the nose gear cylinder, to closed off the normal
port and operate  tie  cylinders.  The  nose  gear  cylinder  extends and unlocks the up lock and extends the nose
gear. The nitrogen flowing into the aft door cylinders opens the aft doors. Fluid on the closed side of the door
cylinders and the up side of the nose gear cylinder is vented to return through  the  actuated  dump  valves.
Nitrogen  from another bottle actuates the shuttle valves on the up lock cylinders. Nitrogen flows into the up lock
cylinders and causes them to disengage the up locks. As soon as the up locks are disengaged, the main gear
extends by the force of gravity. Fluid on the up side of the main gear cylinders is vented to return through the
actuated dump valves, preventing a fluid lock. When the gear fully extends, the down lock cylinder’s spring extends
its piston and engages the down lock.

SHOCK STRUTS Shock struts are self-contained hydraulic units. They carry the burden of supporting the aircraft on
the ground and protecting the aircraft structure by absorbing and  dissipating  the  tremendous  shock  of  landing.
Shock struts must be inspected and serviced regularly for them to function efficiently. This is one of your important
responsibilities. Each landing gear is equipped with a shock strut. In addition to the landing gear shock struts,
carrier aircraft are equipped with a shock strut on the arresting gear. The shock strut’s primary purpose is to
reduce arresting hook bounce during carrier landings. Because of the many different designs of shock struts, only
information of a general nature will be included in this chapter. For specific information on a particular installation,
you should refer to the applicable aircraft MIM or accessories manual. A  typical  pneumatic/hydraulic  shock  strut
(metering pin type). It uses compressed air or nitrogen combined with hydraulic fluid  to  absorb  and  dissipate
shock,  and  it  is  often referred to as the “air-oil” type strut. This particular strut is designed for use on the main
landing gear. As shown in the illustration, the shock strut is essentially two telescoping cylinders or tubes, with
externally  closed  ends.  When  assembled,  the  two cylinders,  known  as  cylinder  and  piston,  form  an  upper
and lower chamber for movement of the fluid. The lower chamber is always filled with fluid, while the upper
chamber contains compressed air or nitrogen. An orifice (small  opening)  is  placed  between  the  two  chambers.
The fluid passes through this orifice into the upper chamber  during  compression,  and  returns  during extension
of the strut. Most shock struts employ a metering pin similar to that shown in figure 12-8 to control the rate of
fluid flow from the lower chamber into the upper chamber. During the compression stroke, the rate of fluid flow is
not constant, but is controlled automatically by the variable shape of the metering pin as it passes through the
orifice.