Undercarriage Strength Testing from the Weight Aspect: The Influence of Test Results on Design as a Factor in the Reduction of Weight

UNDERCARRIAGE design practice has been through several changes in the last few years; these have resulted in very much increased mechanical complication, fortunately accompanied by a decrease in weight, and it is interesting to consider the structural changes implied in these lower weights. (The trend is shown in FIG. 1 for airliner types; for some bomber aircraft it appears even more marked.)