AAI: What You Should Know About King Air Aircraft Landing Gear & The 6-Year Inspection

This post is courtesy of Aircraft Accessories International.

Landing gear is one of the most important components of your aircraft. It absorbs impact, provides a suspension system, and facilitates braking and steering of the aircraft while on the ground. The landing gear takes a beating every time it is used due to the force of hitting runways consistently, which causes a lot of stress. In this article, we’re going to go into detail about King Air landing gear, as well as the 6-year inspection required for King Air landing gear.

A Closer Look At King Air Landing Gear

The landing gear is on the undercarriage of an aircraft and used for takeoff, landing, and taxiing. On a small aircraft, the landing gear has three wheels: two main wheels and a third wheel located on either the front or rear of the plane.

The most common type of landing gear is a tricycle landing gear, which has several advantages and is located under the fuselage and nose of an aircraft. Landing gear is arguably one of the most important aircraft components, as it absorbs impact, provides a suspension system, and facilitates braking and steering of the aircraft while on the ground.

Like we mentioned earlier, landing gears take a lot of abuse and therefore are prone to corrosion. It is important to check for wear and make sure the inspections are detailed and nondestructive.

How can you better care for your landing gear parts?

Here are some tips:

1. Keep the landing gear on your aircraft lubricated in order to prevent excessive wear.
2. Wipe the landing gear regularly to get rid of moisture.
3. Check the landing gear regularly for any cracks, wear, or deterioration.

What Is The 6-Year Inspection For King Air Landing Gear?

King Air requires the owner or operator of the aircraft to pull off their landing gear for a detailed inspection every 6 years or 8,000 hours. This is no small feat; most owners and operators plan for this inspection months and even years in advance.

These specific inspection requirements are because the Beechcraft King Air Maintenance Manuals are designed to comply with FAR 91.409 (f)(3), which states that turbopropeller-powered multiengine airplanes must be inspected in accordance with a current inspection program recommended by the manufacturer or other FAA approved inspection program. The landing gear inspection requirements called out for in the King Air Maintenance Manual are located in Chapter Five, “Special Inspections,” which are part of the “Phase” inspection program.

How Does AAI Take Care Of Your King Air Landing Gear?

Landing gear inspection is something that should be planned well in advance, so you don’t end up scrambling by the time your inspection comes around. AAI can help set up freight companies to get your gear to and from AAI for you, and we can also provide shipping crates, so you don’t have to worry about how getting your Landing Gear to us.

Additionally, AAI provides turnaround times of 20-30 days because we know getting your plane back in the air quickly is important to you.

If you’re local to Atlanta, pickup and delivery is also an option.

Learn more about our process of how we overhaul your landing gear in our blog post “What to Expect When You Send Your Aircraft Landing Gear in for Overhaul.”

How Much Does King Air Landing Gear Inspection & Overhaul Cost?

In general, a King Air Landing Gear overhaul can cost between $20,000 and $30,000. However, AAI quotes standard rate inspection that include all the necessary labor and parts to disassemble, clean, inspect, reassemble, and test. Once the landing gear is inspected, there may be items that are considered “above and beyond” standard overhaul.

Items that may be considered “above and beyond” standard overhaul:

• Corroded parts such as piston tubes and trunnions
• Bent, broken or missing parts
• Parts that require replacement due to airworthiness directives or service bulletins
• If specialized repairs are required the lead time may increase, but the cost benefits often outweigh not having an airplane for a few weeks.
• It’s important to give us a call so we can discuss your needs and figure out what repairs your aircraft require.

AAI Provides FAA Certified Repairs & Inspections On King Air Landing Gear

There’s no part too small when it comes to keeping your landing gear maintained for safe operation. Detailed, thorough, and expert work is required to get the job done the right way. At AAI, we know your ultimate goal is to get your plane fixed so you can fly. That’s why we go above and beyond to help you avoid extra costs by creating repairs and manufacturing the parts on your aircraft that are prone to corrosion and wear, like landing gear components.

When it comes to King Air landing gear repair and overhaul, quick turnaround times are important. You don’t want a hangar full of planes propped up on jacks, creating a traffic jam for everyone trying to maneuver around them. AAI completes landing gear inspections and repairs in-house so that parts get turned around quickly and you can return your aircraft to normal operation.

Do you have questions about AAI’s process or available parts? Check out our website or contact us for more information and be sure to sign up for our Frequent Flyers Email Newsletter to get our articles, updates about industry events, and links to our favorite online content delivered right to your inbox every month.