EC 135

Training Manual
Landing Gear

Landing Gear

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Edition ECE
 EC 135
Training Manual
Landing Gear

Table of Contents

Landing Gear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 This training document comprises the following ATA chapters:
Measurement of Ground Clearance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Landing Gear ATA 32

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Training Manual
Landing Gear

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 EC 135
Training Manual
Landing Gear

Landing Gear
General
The landing gear carries the weight of the helicopter on the ground and
absorbs landing impact loads. It is attached through four fittings to the
lower part of the floor structure.
To prevent the fuselage from being over--stressed during touch down,
the bearing rings on the cross tubes are swivelling in their brackets, so
that all forces are absorbed by bending the cross tubes.
The landing gear consists of two aluminum cross tubes and two
aluminum skids which are clamped together by aluminum skid shoes.
A skid track of 2.3 m provides the helicopter with good stability when
standing on the ground.
Also a medium or a high version of the landing gear is availble.
The landing gear can be fitted with optional equipments like
emergency flotation system or a multi--purpose carrier to meet
changing operational requirements. To meet changing ground
conditions, the landing gear can be fitted with settling protectors or
snow skids.
Crosstubes
The two crosstubes of the landing gear cushion landing impact loads
on the fuselage by bending.
The crosstubes are mounted laterally approx. 2 m (6.6 ft) apart. The
landing gear is attached on the crosstubes to four landing gear fittings
which are integral with the subfloor structure of the fuselage.
Both crosstubes are hollow aluminum tubes of circular cross section.
They are connected to the landing gear fittings through four bearing
rings which are each held by two fitted bolts in the landing gear fittings.
Each bearing ring is retained by a clamp on the crosstube.
For the purpose of jacking the helicopter, a jacking bracket can be
positioned below each of the 4 landing gear fittings.
The helicopter can be weighed by installing a weighing bracket
centrally on the forward crosstube.
Depending on the weight of the helicopter a reinforced rear crosstube
may be installed as an option. In this case a placard reminds the crew
to maintain caution minimal gross weight.

Components Touch Down Limitations

The landing gear consists of: The two aluminum cross tubes can absorb all forces, resulting from
-- two crosstubes touch down speeds up to approx. 1m/s (depending on helicopter mass
and ground hardness).
-- two skids
Higher touch down speeds will result in plastic deformations of the
-- four skid shoes
cross tubes. Touch down speeds between 1 m/s and 2.5 m/s will not
-- four bonding jumpers damage the fuselage.
-- two entrance steps.

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 EC 135
Training Manual
Landing Gear

Landing Gear

Landing Gear Fittings

Entrance Step

Vulcanized Bushing

Bearing Ring

Skid Shoe

Skid Protector
Crosstube
Skid
Bonding Jumper
Clamps

Skid Protector

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Training Manual
Landing Gear

Skids Entrance Steps

Both skids, which are aluminum tubes of circular cross section, are
curved upward at their forward ends.
On the underside of each skid, one small aft and two bigger forward
skid protective plates are attached by screws. The skid protective
plates are exposed to a high degree of wear because they are in direct
contact with the ground.
The two entrance steps which are crosstube--mounted above the
skids, are provided to give boarding assistance to crew members and
passengers.
The triangle--profiles of the entrance step are of fiber composite
construction. They are each attached to their respective crosstube by
two fittings.

Skid Shoes
The four skid shoes connect the skids to the crosstubes to form a
spatial frame. They provide a stiff connection, thereby giving the
landing gear stability.
Each skid shoe is connected to the crosstube by a single bolt. The
saddle-shaped end of the skid shoe retains the skid through two split
clamps which are each tightened by two screws.

Bonding Jumpers
Bonding jumpers are installed between the crosstubes and skids and
the crosstubes and the floor structure to electrically connect the
isolated hardware attached. The bonding jumpers enable static
electricity to be discharged from the surface of the helicopter to the
ground.

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Landing Gear

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Training Manual
Landing Gear

Measurement of Ground Clearance

General
If deformation of cross tubes is evident or suspected, the ground
clearance of helicopter must be measured.
-- The ground clearance at the forward cross tube must not
be less than 460 mm.
-- The ground clearance at the aft cross tube must not be
less than 360 mm.
In case of a medium / high landing gear, different values apply.

Procedure
The measurement must be carried out from a point in the middle of the
fuselage located directly in front or behind the cross tubes. If the
minimum value is not reached, the respective cross tube must be
changed.

X NOTE The measurement must be taken with a non loaded

landing gear. For this purpose the helicopter must
be jacked.

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 EC 135
Training Manual
Landing Gear

Measurement of Ground Clearance

Min. 460 mm
Min. 360 mm
(560 mm Medium Landing Gear,
(460 mm Medium Landing Gear,
770 mm High Landing Gear)
660 mm High Landing Gear)

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