We’ve recently dedicated a design group to remodeling our plane’s landing gear, which was a failure point in our original aircraft. The current tricycle-style landing gear will be updated using the data collected from our first launch. The original carbon fiber main gear will remain, with revisions focusing on reinforced shock absorption and suspension, repositioned placement of the front wheel, and an improved attachment of the front wheel to the fuselage. We plan to use rubber shocks to minimize fuselage vibration during taxiing and landing and to absorb a portion of the landing impact, as well as thrust washers to prevent friction against the wheels. The front wheel of the plane should only be supporting 10-20% of the gross weight of the plane to ensure an unhindered taxi and takeoff sequence. Finally, the new landing gear will be attached to the reinforced beams and joints of the fuselage so the landing impact force is distributed, mitigating any damage the plane might sustain.
The redesign will incorporate an aluminum U-channel that connects to either side of the wheel and four fortified points on the fuselage. The finished model has been designed in Fusion 360, and we’ve simulated anticipated landing forces to ensure its success. We will begin construction soon!
