AEROSPACETESTINGINTERNATIONAL.COMAPRIL 2015 |^45
Undercarriage trials z
Up and down,
O
f the many aircraft systems
proved before a new machine
begins even its first taxi run,
the undercarriage is perhaps not the
first to spring to mind. But extensive
and exacting testing processes are
applied not only to individual gear legs
and their components, but also to the
entire complex and interacting system
of legs, wheels, tires, brakes, doors,
actuators and steering.
In many cases OEMs commission
undercarriage components from
multiple suppliers who themselves
source parts from others, so the whole
must be built, integrated and tested to
exacting levels. Among the major
players in the industry, UTC Aerospace
Systems (UTAS) has a landing gear
facility at Oakville, Ontario. It is
unusual, perhaps even unique, in
boasting design, manufacturing and
test capabilities under one roof.According to Tim Whittier,
director, government relations –
landing systems, this intimate
arrangement improves the level
of internal communication and
cooperation between design,
engineering and test personnel. “The
test department engineers are very
much a part of the overall product
development. They’re involved right at
the early stages of design, identifying
what tests need to be completed and
what their parameters are.”
Oakville produces landing gear
primarily for commercial applications.
Its smallest equipment is built for
helicopters while its largest, heaviest
structures are the wing and body
landing gears for the Airbus A380. The
facility is in the process of expanding
its test capabilities, but can already
work across the full range of
equipment it manufactures.