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Conventional Tricycle
ADVANTAGE
The ability to operate the aircraft over rough terrain. Due to its smaller size the tailwheel has less parasite drag than a nosewheel. Tailwheels are less expensive to buy and maintain than a nosewheel. If a tailwheel fails on landing, the damage to the aircraft will be minimal. Reduced landing gear weight
DISADVANTAGE
Requires more skill in ground taxiing
Suffer from poorer forward visibility on the ground. Conventional geared aircraft are much more susceptible to ground looping. Nose high attitude on the ground, propeller powered taildraggers are more adversely affected. Aircraft lack sufficient rudder authority in some flight regimes.
ADVANTAGE
Keeps aircraft level during take-off and landing. Its ease of ground handling. It allows more forceful application of the brakes during landings at high speeds without causing the aircraft to nose over. It permits better forward visibility for the pilot during takeoff, landing, and taxiing. It tends to prevent ground looping (swerving) by providing more directional stability during ground operation since the aircrafts center of gravity (CG) is forward of the main wheels. The forward CG keeps the airplane moving forward in a straight line rather than ground looping.
DISADVANTAGE
Greater summary mass of struts due to the bigger height of the nose strut hence bending moment which is forced onto it by additional load from forces of inertia. Smaller permeability. The nose strut is reloaded because of inertia forces action and its foot-pressure on ground is increased also during running. Considerably larger volumes in a fuselage indispensable for retracting the nose strut. It is especially difficult when engine is positioned inside of a fuselage nose part. Longitudinal instability during movement of aircraft along an aerodrome with an elevated front support during take-off run. Danger of emergency or even catastrophes during damage or breaking of front support. Possibility of appearance of self-energizing oscillations has freely orienting wheels of a front support. Such oscillations are called shimmy.The means for elimination of this phenomenon will result in complicating and in weight increase of a structure
FIXED GEAR
Non retractable, usually bolted on to the structure Often uses fairings or wheel pants Cessna 152 Advantages: Lighter weight Less complex Least costly
RETRACTABLE GEAR
Designed to eliminate drag (the greatest advantage) Can be either fully or partially retractable Direction of retraction depends on airframe model Methods of retraction: hydraulic, electric, mechanical, pneumatic Critical area of aircraft maintenance for safety reasons
Definition may include floating hulls (ex. Lake aircraft) Floating hulls may only require wing tip floats Skis used for snow and ice (wood, metal, composites) Skis may use shock cord to assist angle of ski attack Skis are mounted on the same strut as tires