Messier-Dowty yesterday announced it has been chosen by Raytheon Aircraft to design, develop and manufacture the complete landing gear system for the US company's new Hawker Horizon business jet.
Messier-Dowty, the joint venture between TI Group of the UK and Snecma of France, estimates the value of the contract at more than $70 million over the life of the Horizon programme.
The contract covers the landing gear, wheels, tyres, brakes, door mechanisms and linkages.
Messier-Dowty also revealed yesterday that it is working on a project looking at increasing the use of titanium on civil aircraft landing gears.
Called TARGET - Titanium Alloy Requirement for landing Gear on next civil Transport - the programme is driven primarily by the metal's weight-saving potential.
A further benefit is its corrosion resistance, which is likely to reduce maintenance costs in the longer term.
The main challenge in using titanium is its resistance to conventional machining.
Although Messier-Dowty already uses the metal in undercarriages the TARGET project will consider how to use titanium alloys in forming main structural components on future large landing gears.
Source: Flight Daily News
