Landing gear is essential for an airplane, serving the function of mitigating landing and takeoff incidents on the runway. All landing gear comprises wheels for this purpose in addition to a collection of various other components depending on the operations the gear performs. As such, landing gear can be categorized by its configuration into different types, one of which is tailwheel-type landing gear. For your better knowledge, this blog will cover this type of landing gear and its benefits.
Tailwheel-type landing gear is considered a form of conventional landing gear, consisting of three wheels total. A pair of wheels are situated toward the front of the aircraft with a single wheel situated between and behind the front two wheels. To create balance and ensure safety, the front wheels are placed ahead of the aircraft’s center of gravity while the rear wheel is placed behind the aircraft’s center of gravity. Unique to tailwheel-type landing gear, this configuration of wheels allows for successful takeoffs and landings, making it a popular choice for most smaller aircraft.
In addition to being a common design, tailwheel-type landing gear boasts benefits over other landing gear, adding to its popularity. One such benefit of equipping your aircraft with this type of landing gear is that it offers less drag. Typically, landing gear systems generate drag, especially while extended; however, the positioning of the wheels in tailwheel-type landing gear minimizes the amount of drag created. With the third wheel placed behind the plane’s center of gravity, this type of landing gear is less susceptible to generating resistive forces that will act against the plane and increase fuel consumption.
Furthermore, tailwheel-type landing gear are better suited for imperfect runways than other designs because their three point configuration distributes the airplane’s weight very evenly. This protects the entire frame of the aircraft from exposure to physical stressors, such as uneven patches on the runway. Tailwheel-type landing gear systems offer a few other benefits, such as a slimmer fit that allows airplanes to fit into hangers. Despite the many advantages of this design, other landing gear configurations are available, each of which boasts its own benefits.
Similar to tailwheel-type landing gear in its use of three wheels, tricycle-type landing gear is another option for aircraft. The difference between these two designs is in the placement of the third, or secondary, wheel. Instead of sitting behind the primary wheels, the secondary wheel in tricycle-type landing gear sits in front of the primary wheels, mimicking the configuration of the wheels on a tricycle. The main benefit of this design is that it prevents the tail from creating drag by forcing a shift in the airplane’s weight toward the front. While tricycle-type landing gear is a useful design, the tailwheel-type is more popular as it is generally easier to handle on the runway and works better with the heaviness of many commercial airplane’s rear ends.
Whether you require components for tailwheel-type landing gear, tricycle-type landing gear, or any other aspects of your aircraft’s landing system, we at Aviation Parts Distributor have you covered. Owned and operated by ASAP Semiconductor, we are a leading online purchasing platform with unparalleled access to an inventory of new, used, obsolete, and hard-to-find aviation parts from trusted manufacturers around the world. To begin procuring any item(s) on our database, simply fill out and submit a completed Request for Quote (RFQ) form with as much relevant detail as possible. With our around-the-clock service, a dedicated professional will contact you within 15 minutes or less with a custom quotation for your comparisons. To learn more, contact us at any time via phone or email.
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