When an aircraft lands on a runway or ground surface, it relies on its landing wheels and gear to sufficiently withstand the load and force transmitted from the airframe. As many commercial aircraft may reach upwards of 500-tons in weight, travel at speeds ranging up to 170+ MPH, face fluctuating temperature extremes, and generate intense heat while braking, the landing wheels are designed with robustness and advanced technologies. In this blog, we will discuss the landing wheels and landing wheel bearings found on aircraft, allowing you to better understand their functionality and importance.

Bearings are common machine elements that are present within countless systems and assemblies, facilitating motion for the means of reducing the friction generated between moving parts. Ball bearings in particular are a type of rolling-element bearing, taking advantage of balls placed between bearing races to further their rotational friction mitigation. In this blog, we will discuss the functionality and design of ball bearings, allowing you to best understand how and why they are used within various applications and settings.