What does Hydraulics & Landing Gear cover?
Hydraulic systems transmit large forces to operate flight controls, landing gear, brakes and more. This topic covers the components of a hydraulic system and how the landing gear, steering and braking are actuated and protected.
What this subject covers
- Hydraulic fluid, pumps, accumulators and actuators
- System architecture and redundancy
- Landing gear retraction, extension and warnings
- Brakes, anti-skid and nosewheel steering
Study tip
Understand redundancy: questions frequently ask what still works after the loss of one hydraulic system, so learn the architecture, not just the parts.
Frequently asked questions
What does a hydraulic accumulator do?
It stores pressurised fluid to smooth pump pulsations, provide peak demand and give an emergency reserve (e.g. for braking).
Why have multiple hydraulic systems?
For redundancy: critical services are powered from more than one system so a single failure doesn't disable flight controls, gear or brakes.
