This aerospace information report (AIR) provides historical design information for various aircraft landing gear and actuation/control systems that may be useful in the design of future systems for similar applications. It presents the basic characteristics, hardware descriptions, functional schematics, and discussions of the actuation mechanisms, controls, and alternate release systems.

The report is divided into two basic sections:

1

Landing gear actuation system history from 1876 to the present. This section provides an overview and the defining examples that demonstrate the evolution of landing gear actuation systems to the present day.

2

This section of the report provides an in depth review of various aircraft. A summary table of aircraft detail contained within this section is provided in paragraph

4.1 .

The intent is to add new and old aircraft retraction/extension systems to this AIR as the data becomes available.

NOTES

1

For some aircraft, the description is incomplete, due to difficulties in obtaining the data.