New features for the most efficient way of changing the landing gear
Before every single takeoff, mechanics and pilots visually inspect all landing gear, including the tires and brakes, in what is referred to as a “pre-flight check.” Moreover, every aircraft needs to undergo a D check after a certain number of flight hours. During this check, the landing gear is examined inside and out and fully overhauled. In the case of an Airbus A320, this can involve up to several thousand individual parts.
It’s worth mentioning that meticulous maintenance and overhauling are not just relevant to safety, but also pay off for themselves. The entire landing gear set for an A320 costs more than 1.6 million euros when new, and that’s without counting the brakes and wheels. Repairs are immensely cheaper.
Benefits for your operations
The MLGTMULTI-1 is a one-base platform that efficiently uses changeable frame kits to replace the main and nose landing gears, excluding the wheels and brakes, of various narrow-body aircraft. The benefits for operations?
Specific frame kits fit perfectly for removal and installation of the main and nose landing gear of various narrow-body aircraft.
Three-axis positioning through spindle adjustment and pneumatically or electrically driven lifting movement.
The landing gear is fully secured during the entire procedure.
No manual lifting, manual pushing or pulling and no assembly of special parts reduce physical stress on the operators.
Lower investment cost compared to existing OEM tools, and the total cost of ownership gets lower with every application.
The fast and easy interchangeability of frame kits ensures flexibility for a wide range of applications. The removal of an A320 main landing gear takes less than 11 minutes.
Figure: One tool for changing both the nose and main landing gear - Next generation of landing gear change tool “MLGTMULTI-1”
What is new with this next generation landing gear change tool?
A new feature of the MLGTMULTI makes landing gear changes even more efficient. Until now, different OEM tools had to be used to change the main landing gear and the nose landing gear on an A320. This translated into higher investment costs, more warehouse space and greater training expense for handling the various tools.
Both landing gear changes can now be handled with only one device, the newest generation of the MLGTMULTI. By just replacing an aircraft-specific frame kit, both the nose landing gear and the main landing gear can be removed and installed. The frame kit is already available for the A320 family. The frame kits specific to the main landing gear of the B737 and the Embraer Models 170 to 195 are also available now. The frame specific to the nose landing gear of the B737NG and MAX will follow. The suitable strut compression tool is also available especially for the B737.
With this new generation of landing gear change tool, investment costs will be reduced even compared to the existing tool. Besides that, it is the safest way available on the market for changing landing gears compared to traditional chain hoist tools.
Interested in the next generation of the MLGTMULTI-1? Your local sales contact is happy to help!