landing gear

Aircraft Design

Aircraft
Design
Design process
Deatailed in ARP4754A (library)

In this context validation is

checking the requirements meet
the spec and verification is
checking the design meets the
requirements

Aircraft
Design
Design process
Key components are
 Tyres
 Wheels
 Brakes
 Shock absorber
 Structure
 Retraction

Not necessarily in that order, and

iterated

Aircraft
Design
Configurations
Number of tyres reflects the
runway/weight requirements (in
most cases)

Configuration affects stability

Aircraft
Design
Tyre choice
Start with a configuration that
provides sufficient wheels to
accommodate MTOW with an
available tyre

Work through the sizing calcs in Ch3

of Schmidt

Iterate the configuration if necessary

Aircraft
Design
Stability

 Iterative process
 5-14% of static weight on nose
gear (tricycle)
 Starts with static stability
(ground line)
 Allow for stability with lift
 Movement of CG is important
 Also consider reverse thrust

Aircraft
Design
Brake sizing
 Based on energy dissipation
requirements
 Typically hydraulic or
electromechanical discs
 Multiple discs often used on
larger aircraft

Typical brake energy cases given

below:

See SAE R-455

Aircraft
Design
Example energy calculation

Aircraft
Design
Refinement

Solution by integration (see AST-TR-68-56 and

Schmidt Ch4) Results in braking distance of 1210 m and
energy per brake of 135.8 Mj
• Minimum acceleration of 0.31g typical

Aircraft
Design
Brake size
 Start with mass of material
required to dissipate energy

 Look at the volumetric

requirements

 Can you stack enough discs in

the wheel space

 Electric (regenerative) braking See also the more detailed calculation

is another, more complex option procedure in Ch4 Schmidt.

(~250 kW per wheel)

Aircraft
Design
Shock absorber
 Oleo strut design is complex

 Determine requirements and

specify

 Focus on structural layout

Aircraft
Design
Structural Layout

Aircraft
Design
 Structural attachment
 Reasonably unique to the
aircraft
 Influences wing structure

 Focus on actuation and

envelope

Airbus A330/340 above,

Boeing 777 below​
Aircraft
Design
Load case
Complex...

Start with static loads then taxi, take off, and landing

Incorporate the dynamic load from limit descent

Factor in braking and side loads (0.8 and 0.6 vertical reaction)

For a detailed evaluation see Ch13 Schmidt (be warned!)

Aircraft
Design
Static strength requirements
Once you have a load case the
structure can be designed based on
the static strength requirements

Classical analysis
FBD
Bending and direct stresses
Size component for ultimate load factor
Check buckling

Simplify structures to beams,

columns, supports and pins

Don’t neglect stress concentration

factors

Aircraft
Design
Resources
The Design of Aircraft Landing Gear R-455, Schmidt, K. SAE
Guidelines for Development of Civil Aircraft and Systems ARP4754A , SAE

FAR/JAR 25 (.4)

Two projects on Bb

Aircraft
Design
Final thoughts
 Don't get bogged down in all the detail
 Approximate first then fill in detail where it's interesting
 The rough calculations shown are real industrial starting
points
 Be creative!

Aircraft
Design