ATI Landing Gear Project Phase 1

This project matures key technologies that will reduce costs to the operator; save fuel; improve ground operations; simplify manufacturing and simplify maintenance. The Project also defines how these Technologies will be deployed together on a future Wing/LG configuration for the first time successfully.
Airbus will work with multiple partners and sub-contractors to mature these technologies, and prepare a definition of the Future Landing Gear.
Each technology provides one or more benefits; Electric Taxi will save fuel by using the efficient aircraft Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) to provide electrical power to move the aircraft using motors embedded in the wheels. New load/torque sensing technologies coupled with new ground control algorithms will limit structural loads during braking and save weight in the wing and the landing gear structure, thereby saving fuel. New composite components if suitably deployed could further contribute to Landing Gear weight reduction and fuel saving. The new ground control algorithms will simplify pilot workload on the ground, and ease operation under failure conditions. New robust sensing technology will improve basic reliability of brake temperature and tyre pressure sensing and enable a faster return to service in the event of an overload condition. New sensors plus Hydraulic Fluid Ignition testing and wheel modifications will enable dispatch with hotter brakes and achieve a shorter aircraft Turn Around Time. New Landing Gear materials which are corrosion resistant will reduce the cost of major overhaul and increase the time between them whilst the introduction of new maintenance tools will speed up and improve the servicing of the Shock Absorber.
The Future Landing Gear project will mature each of these new items so that they can be deployed as necessary to existing aircraft programmes and also work out how they will be deployed together on the Landing Gear in a new aircraft application for the first time with minimal risk.