Paranoid about a potential $160,000 slide, and wondering why the airplane doesn’t make book speeds in cruise, a new light twin owner recently asked if there were focused inspections he can do outside of annual maintenance to spot landing gear troubles. And, a Cessna owner asked if he can calibrate his own magnetic compass. First some basic landing gear inspection tips.
We’ve said it before—it’s worth spending the shop labor to have your mechanic demonstrate a gear swing. Since landing gear systems vary widely by aircraft, you’ll learn a lot observing a gear retraction and extension with the aircraft on jacks. At the same time, read the service manual, making note of the hardware. We don’t think pilots pay enough attention to gear doors, which can offer some hints of the gear’s general health, especially clamshell doors often found on the nosegear.