초록 ▼

A method, apparatus and computer program enable asymmetric deployment or retraction of aircraft landing gear. The landing gear includes landing gear doors which, when open extend over the aircraft centerline in order to provide room for deployment of the respective landing gear. To avoid interferenc

A method, apparatus and computer program enable asymmetric deployment or retraction of aircraft landing gear. The landing gear includes landing gear doors which, when open extend over the aircraft centerline in order to provide room for deployment of the respective landing gear. To avoid interference between adjacent landing gear doors, the sequence of opening and/or closing of the landing gear doors is staggered. One gear door is opened and that landing gear is deployed, but prior to the adjacent door being opened, the first opened door is at least partially closed so as to not interfere with the fully opened position of the second door.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method for operating a stowable landing gear system for an aircraft, said landing gear system comprising starboard landing gear and corresponding starboard door and port landing gear and corresponding port door, said landing gears located adjacent each other on adjacent sides of the aircraft ce

1. A method for operating a stowable landing gear system for an aircraft, said landing gear system comprising starboard landing gear and corresponding starboard door and port landing gear and corresponding port door, said landing gears located adjacent each other on adjacent sides of the aircraft centreline and each landing gear configured to deploy by outward rotation away from said centreline and said doors each configured to open towards and at least partially extend over said centerline when open, said method comprising the steps of: opening one of said doors and deploying the corresponding one of said landing gear and then at least partially closing said opened door before opening the other of said doors and deploying the corresponding other of said landing gear and then closing said other of said doors. 2. A method according to claim 1 in which said doors are each arranged to open to a position in which each said door extends at least partially underneath the other door in respective closed positions. 3. A method according to claim 1 in which said doors are each arranged to open to a position in which each said door extends at least partially over the hinge line of the other of said doors. 4. A method according to claim 1 in which each said door is hinged on an inboard side. 5. A method according to claim 1 in which the hinge-line of each said door is adjacent said aircraft centreline. 6. A method according to claim 1 in which said centreline comprises the central vertical plane running fore and aft through aircraft fuselage. 7. A method according to claim 1 in which opening of said other of said doors is initiated prior to the completion of said closing of said first opened one of said doors. 8. A stowable landing gear apparatus for an aircraft comprising starboard landing gear and corresponding starboard door and port landing gear and corresponding port door, said landing gears located adjacent each other on adjacent sides of the aircraft centreline and each landing gear configured to deploy by outward rotation away from said centreline and said doors each configured to open towards and at least partially extend over said centreline, said apparatus comprising: means for opening one of said doors and for deploying the corresponding one of said landing gear and then for at least partially closing said opened door; andmeans for opening the other of said doors after partially closing said opened door and for deploying the corresponding one of said landing gear and then for closing said other of said doors. 9. Apparatus according to claim 8 in which said doors are each arranged to open to a position in which each said door extends at least partially underneath the other door in respective closed positions. 10. Apparatus according to claim 8 in which said doors are each arranged to open to a position in which each said door extends at least partially over the hinge line of the other of said doors. 11. Apparatus according to claim 8 in which each said door is hinged on an inboard side. 12. Apparatus according to claim 8 in which the hinge-line of each said door is adjacent said aircraft centreline. 13. Apparatus according to claim 8 in which said centreline comprises the central vertical plane running fore and aft through aircraft fuselage. 14. Apparatus according to claim 8 in which opening of said other of said doors is initiated prior to the completion of said closing of said first opened one of said doors. 15. A computer program stored on a non-transitory computer readable storage medium and loadable into the internal memory of a computer, said program when run on a computer, performs the method of claim 1.