ACTIVITY NO.

7 LANDING GEAR DESIGN

DESIGNER: AMBROSIO, IAN CARL D. SUBMISSION DATE:

GANIA, CHRISMAR J. AUGUST 24,2019

INSTRUCTOR: ENGR. JERONE KRISTAN E. JOSOL RATING:

Given:
Nose Type Landing Gear

Gross Weight, W = 1,646.63 lbs = 746.77 kg (taken from Activity No.4)

Weight of Fuel, W f = 137.80 lbs = 62.49 kg (taken from Activity No.4)

Wing Gross Area, S = 134.120ft2 = 12.40 m2 (taken from Activity No.2)

Maximum Aft C.G. Position (taken from Activity No.6)

x ′ = 1.98 m to the right of the datum line
y ′ = 1.00 m above the ground line

Gross Weight C.G. Position (taken from Activity No.6)

x ′ = 1.94 m to the right of the datum line
y ′ = 0.99 m above the ground line

α @ CLmax = 22.60 deg. (taken from Activity No.3)

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 ACTIVITY NO. 7 LANDING GEAR DESIGN

The choice of a tricycle landing gear is justified by the following reasons:

1. A leveled position is more comfortable when entering or leaving the
cockpit.
2. There is an improved forward vision from the cabin during ground runs.
3. The tricycle landing gear eliminates the ground loop; it gives better
ground stability and permits full braking which in turn reduces the landing
distance.
4. The small wing incidence permits a faster acceleration, thus a reduction
in takeoff distance.
5. With a leveled taxiing position, the chances of damaging the tail with
stones blown up by the propeller are reduced.

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ACTIVITY NO. 7 LANDING GEAR DESIGN

MAXIMUM AFT C.G POSITION

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 ACTIVITY NO. 7 LANDING GEAR DESIGN

GROSS WEIGHT C.G POSITION

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ACTIVITY NO. 7 LANDING GEAR DESIGN

2.57 m

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 ACTIVITY NO. 7 LANDING GEAR DESIGN

The main wheels position with respect to the C.G. is determined as follows:

1. Calculate the angle of attack ( ) at CLmax with flaps-up.

2. Locate the maximum aft C.G.

3. Draw a 1/30 scale side view of the airplane with the wing at the
angle of attack at  at CLmax .

4. From the C.G. draw a vertical line, and from the tail skid a
horizontal line.

5. At the intersection point “A”, locate the center point of the tire
contact area.

6. Draw the landing gear with the tire and shock absorber
completely deflected.

7. After the shock absorber deflection is calculated, the extended

unloaded gear can be drawn.

8. Use the clearance requirements.

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ACTIVITY NO. 7 LANDING GEAR DESIGN

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 ACTIVITY NO. 7 LANDING GEAR DESIGN

Turnover Angle

The track and wheel base should be determined next. The

relationship between the track and wheel base is dictated by the
Turnover Angle which is determined as follows:

1. Draw the top view showing the desired nose wheel and main
wheel positions. Also show the C.G. location.

2. Draw the side view showing the landing gear with shock
absorbers and tires statically deflected and the C.G. position.

3. Establish line A-B. Extend the line to a point “C”.

4. Through point “C”, draw a perpendicular to line A-B.

5. Through the C.G. (in the plan view) draw a line parallel to A-B
and obtain “D”.

6. From point “D”, measure the height of the C.G. (h) obtain from
the side view and obtain point “E”.

7. Trace line E-C and measure the angle “β”. This is the turnover
angle and should be less than 60 o .

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ACTIVITY NO. 7 LANDING GEAR DESIGN

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 ACTIVITY NO. 7 LANDING GEAR DESIGN

Turning Point

The steerable nose wheel should have no angular movement θ such as the
turning point falls inside the wing tip as shown in Figure 10. Some airplanes have
a large steer angle on the nose wheel which enables it to turn around on one
wheel. To check the position of the turning point, simply project the main wheel
axis and the nose wheel axis at the maximum steer angle until they intercept, as
shown in Figure 10.

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 STATIC LOAD

GROSS WEIGHT C.G

ACTIVITY NO. 7

GROSS WEIGHT = 1,646.63 lbs =746.77 kg

LANDING GEAR DESIGN

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 ACTIVITY NO. 7 LANDING GEAR DESIGN

a =1.94 m
Shock Absorber Travel

The shock absorber travel could be estimated with an approximate method:

Load “L”

Deflection “S”

The energy stored in the landing gear is represented by the cross-

hatched areas in the figure above and expressed by:

S.E. =  LS

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 ACTIVITY NO. 7 LANDING GEAR DESIGN

Where:
 = Efficiency
L = Maximum Vertical Load
S = Total Deflection (Tire + Shock Absorber)

The efficiency of various types of shock absorbers is given in Table I.

Table I

Type of Shock

Absorber
Tires 0.47
Steel Springs 0.50
Rubber Rings 0.60
Oleo-Pneumatic 0.75

The total vertical energy of the airplane is given by the following equation:

WV 2
K.E. 
2g

Where:
W = Airplane Gross Weight
V = Maximum Descent Velocity

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 ACTIVITY NO. 7 LANDING GEAR DESIGN

g = Gravitational Acceleration = 32.174 ft/s2

The airplane vertical energy will be absorbed by shock absorbers.

Therefore:

K.E. = S.E.

Then:

WV 2
 η.L.S
2g

Solving for  .S:

V2
η.S 
L
.2.g
W

Where:
L
= n, is the landing gear limit load factor, normally 3 is used
W

for standard aircrafts.

V = should not exceed 10 ft./s (CAR 3.243)

For the Maximum Descent Velocity (v):

1/4
W 
v  4.4  L 
 S 
 

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 ACTIVITY NO. 7 LANDING GEAR DESIGN

But,

W = W – 0.25 W f
L

W = 1,646.63 lbs – (0.25) (137.80 lbs)

L

W = 1,612.18 lbs
L
1
1,612.18 lb 4
𝑣 = (4.4) ( )
121. 62ft 2

ft
𝑣 = 8.40
s

ft 2
( 8.45
(8.40 ) 137.48
η.S  s
ft
(3) (2) (32.174 )
s2

12 in.
η.S  0.37 ft × 1 ft

1
η.S  4.44 in. 4 16 in. = 0.11 m

The term represents the whole shock absorber, which can be separated in
tire + strut.

Total Tire Strut

η.S  η.T ST  η.S SS

η.S  ηTST
SS 
ηS
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 ACTIVITY NO. 7 LANDING GEAR DESIGN

Where:

ηT = Tire efficiency

ST = Tire Deflection

ηS = Strut Efficiency

SS = Strut Deflection

In Table II, the most commonly used light airplane tires are listed. The tire
maximum deflection can be calculated by subtracting the flat tire radius from
nominal radius.

Table II

Tire O. Max. Tire

Static Ply Flat Tire
Tire Size Diamete Deflectio
Load Rating Radius
r n

lb in. - in. in. in.

700 5.00-4 4 13.25 3.6 3.02

800 5.00-5 4 14.20 4.1 3.00

1100 6.00-6 5 17.50 4.5 4.25

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ACTIVITY NO. 7 LANDING GEAR DESIGN

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ACTIVITY NO. 7 LANDING GEAR DESIGN

LANDING GEAR CLEARANCE

Calculations for Static Loads of the Wheels

For load in the Nose Wheel:

+  MMW = 0

PNW (d) - G.W. (d – a) = 0

(d  a)
P  G.W. 
NW d

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ACTIVITY NO. 7 LANDING GEAR DESIGN

Where:

d = 1.93 m

a = 1.40 m

1.93 m−1.40 m
PNW = (1,646.63 𝑙𝑏𝑠)( )
1.93 m

PNW = 452.18 lb

Therefore:

The most applicable tire for nose wheel is the tire with static load of 700
lbs.

STATIC LOAD 700 lb 317.51 kg

TIRE O. DIAMETER 13 1/4 in. 0.3366 m
FLAT TIRE RADIUS 3 77/128 in. 0.0914 m
MAX. TIRE DEFLECTION ( ST ) 3 3/128 in. 0.0767 m

Calculations for Static Loads of the Wheels

For the load in the Main Wheels:

+   Fv = 0

PMW + PNW – G.W. = 0

PMW = G.W. – PNW

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 ACTIVITY NO. 7 LANDING GEAR DESIGN

PMW = 1,646.63 lbs – 452.18 lbs

PMW = 1,194.45 lb

For the load of each main wheel:

PM W
Load of each main wheel =
2
1,194.45 lbs
Load of each main wheel = 2

Load of each main wheel = 597.22 lb

Therefore:

The most applicable tire for main wheel is the tire with static load of 700
lbs.

STATIC LOAD 700 lb 317.51 kg

TIRE O. DIAMETER 13 1/4 in. 0.3366 m
FLAT TIRE RADIUS 3 77/128 in. 0.0914 m
MAX. TIRE DEFLECTION ( ST ) 3 3/128 in. 0.0767 m

Shock Absorber Strut Travel

For the Nose Wheel:
Type of Tire: 5.00-4
Type of Shock Absorber: Oleo-pneumatic

ηS  ηTST
SS 
ηS

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ACTIVITY NO. 7 LANDING GEAR DESIGN

4.44 in.−(0.47)(3.02 in)

SS = 0.75

SS = 4.02 in. = 0.10 m

For the Main Wheels:

Type of Tire: 5.00-4
Type of Shock Absorber: Oleo-pneumatic

ηS  ηTST
SS 
ηS

4.44 in.−(0.47)(3.02 in)

SS = 0.75

SS = 4.02 in. = 0.10 m

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