Airbus says the Goodrich-supplied A380 wing and body main landing gear, Honeywell/Dunlop Aerospace wheels and brakes and Michelin tyres performed “at and above” expected levels during ground towing tests on 25 June. The tests, which culminated in abused ground handling, “were designed to go way beyond the limit of normal operations and were the equivalent of the structural static airframe tests to destruction”, says Airbus. “Although these tests where designed to test up to maximum deformation and beyond, the gear did exactly what it is supposed to do.” In normal taxiing operations the rear axle of the six-wheel body landing gear (seen immediately behind the four-wheel wing landing gear) is steerable for manoeuvring and push-back. During towing, however, it is only available if electrical power is supplied by the aircraft itself, or via the tow vehicle (hydraulic power generated by an electric motor pump). If power is not available for towing it remains locked in the central position.
Source: Flight International
