AAI Video Tour: Follow A King Air Landing Gear Through A 6-Year Inspection

When a King Air landing gear comes into AAI for a 6-year inspection and restoration, it is more than a maintenance event. It is a carefully controlled, highly documented process designed to ensure safety, reliability, and long-term value for aircraft owners and operators.

In this video tour, Kevin Allen, President of AAI, walks through the AAI repair facility station by station, following King Air landing gears from the moment they arrive to the moment they leave, certified and ready for service. Enjoy this behind-the-scenes look at how a 6-year-old landing gear gets restored to airworthy condition.

Station 1: Receiving

Where Every King Air Landing Gear Overhaul Begins

Every overhaul starts in the receiving area. Whether the landing gear arrives by freight truck or is dropped off by a local customer, this is where the process officially begins.

At receiving, the team documents:

• Part numbers and serial numbers
• Customer information
• The reason for the visit, including the 6-year inspection requirement

Once logged into AAI’s internal tracking system, the landing gear is staged to move onto the shop floor. At this point, it looks exactly like you would expect after years of service. Brake dust, grime, grease, and all the signs of heavy-duty wear all over the assembly.

This initial condition is important. Before any inspection can happen, the gear must be completely disassembled, cleaned, and stripped so technicians can see what is really going on beneath the surface.

Station 2: Disassembly

Breaking Down The King Air Landing Gear

Before the inspection of all the individual gear components can begin, the landing gear assembly must be completely disassembled. During disassembly, technicians focus on areas known for wear, including:

• Locking tabs
• Bushings
• High load contact points

These parts often show signs of fatigue after years in operation. Finding issues here is common, and addressing them correctly is essential. Disassembly allows each component to be evaluated individually instead of hiding problems inside an assembled unit.

Station 3: Cleaning

Preparing The Landing Gear For Inspection

Once disassembled, components move to the cleaning area. Cleaning is not cosmetic. It is a required step to make accurate inspections possible.

In this stage:

• Grease, grit, and brake dust are removed
• Paint is stripped
• Parts are returned to bare metal

After about an hour in the cleaning process, all individual components of the King Air landing gear assembly emerge ready for detailed inspection. Only at this point can technicians reliably identify corrosion, cracks, or wear that could affect airworthiness.

Station 4: Visual, Dimensional & Non-Destructive Inspection

Determining Airworthiness

The inspection process is where the real evaluation begins. With the parts cleaned, technicians look closely for wear and measure critical features against OEM specifications.

During a typical landing gear overhaul, more than 100 subcomponents are inspected with a trained eye following rigorous processes and standards. During the process, precise measurements are taken to compare to OEM specifications and wear limits.

Dimensional inspections include:

• Bushing measurements
• Axle and bore dimensions
• Wear limits defined in manufacturer manuals

Every measurement must fall within strict tolerances. If a bushing or bore is worn beyond limits, the part is not considered airworthy in its current condition.

The final inspection step is non-destructive testing. NDT includes highly specialized Magnetic Particle Inspection and Fluorescent Penetrant Inspection. These tests catch flaws that aren’t initially visible to the naked eye.

AAI operates under a strict measurement and calibration policy. All inspection tools and testing environments are calibrated and certified, ensuring that every decision is based on accurate data. This step determines whether a part can be returned to service as-is or requires repair.

Station 5: Machine Shop

Restoring Components To Factory Specification

When an inspection reveals wear beyond allowable limits, the landing gear moves into the machine shop. A common example is oversized bushing repair on a King Air drag brace.

In this process:

• The worn bore is machined to an approved oversized dimension
• A custom bushing is fabricated
• The assembly is restored to factory specification

This kind of work happens behind the scenes but is a major part of a successful 6-year inspection. The goal is not just to fix a problem, but to return the part to a condition that supports long-term reliability.

Station 6: Reassembly & Testing

From Inspection To Proven Performance

After all inspections and repairs are completed, the landing gear components are painted and prepared for reassembly. At this stage, everything has already passed dimensional, visual, and non-destructive testing requirements.

The reassembly process includes:

• Installing new seals
• Installing new or repaired bushings, hardware, and other subcomponents
• Verifying attach points and preparing for functional testing
• Completing functional testing

Once assembled, the landing gear is tested to ensure it operates correctly under simulated conditions. Only after passing these tests does it move on to certification.

Throughout this stage, quality control reviews inspection findings and repair actions. Customers are kept informed, approvals are documented, and parts are only released once all requirements are met.

Station 7: Certification

Ready To Go Back On The Aircraft

The final result of a 6-Year King Air landing gear inspection is a fully restored component that looks and performs like it is new from the factory. What arrived at our facility dirty and worn leaves with:

• Fresh paint and protective coatings
• New or restored bushings, hardware, etc.
• Repaired axles and piston chrome surfaces
• New seals and lubrication
• Proper documentation

A typical King Air landing gear overhaul at AAI takes about 20 days. By the end of the process, the gear is certified, airworthy, and ready to return to service.

You can watch the accompanying videos to see examples of a completed landing gear and drag brace. After passing all inspections, repairs, assembly, and testing, the parts we service are certified and ready to ship back to the operator with a completed FAA form 8130-3 airworthiness certificate.

Why The 6-Year Inspection Matters

Landing gear is one of the most highly stressed systems on an aircraft. Regular inspection and restoration are required for good reason.

A properly executed 6-year King Air landing gear inspection:

• Identifies hidden wear before it becomes a failure
• Restores components to OEM standards
• Extends the service life of expensive assemblies
• Keeps aircraft compliant and flying safely

At AAI, this process is built around transparency, precision, and respect for the challenges aircraft owners and mechanics face every day.

Keeping King Airs Flying Safely

From receiving to final certification, every station in the AAI facility exists for one reason: to deliver certified, tested, and reliable aircraft accessories that mechanics can trust and owners can depend on.

This tour offers a clear look at what happens when a King Air landing gear comes through the door and why attention to detail at every step makes all the difference to ensure the safety of every passenger and pilot that boards the plane.