An aircraft assembly, having: a reference component; a first component and a first actuator, the first actuator configured to move the first component relative to the reference component; a second component and a second actuator, the second actuator configured to move the second component relative to the reference component; a position sensor configured to measure a position of the first component, and to output a position value, the sensor being capable of outputting a plurality of non-zero position values; and a controller configured to control the movement of the second component by the second actuator based at least partially on the position value output by the position sensor.

An aircraft assembly, having: a reference component; a first component and a first actuator, the first actuator configured to move the first component relative to the reference component; a second component and a second actuator, the second actuator configured to move the second component relative to the reference component; a position sensor configured to measure a position of the first component, and to output a position value, the sensor being capable of outputting a plurality of non-zero position values; and a controller configured to control the movement of the second component by the second actuator based at least partially on the position value output by the position sensor.

A shrink mechanism for use with a landing gear of an aircraft. The landing gear includes an outer cylinder rotatably coupled to a frame of an aircraft about a trunnion axis of rotation and a shock strut assembly movably coupled to the outer cylinder so as to reciprocate along a longitudinal axis of the outer cylinder. The shrink mechanism incudes a first shrink link member pivotally coupled to the outer cylinder, a second shrink link member coupling the first shrink link member to the shock strut assembly, a crank member pivotally coupled to the outer cylinder, a drive member coupling the crank member to a walking beam of a landing gear retract mechanism, and a driven member coupling the crank member to the first shrink link member.

A shrink mechanism for use with a landing gear of an aircraft. The landing gear includes an outer cylinder rotatably coupled to a frame of an aircraft about a trunnion axis of rotation and a shock strut assembly movably coupled to the outer cylinder so as to reciprocate along a longitudinal axis of the outer cylinder. The shrink mechanism incudes a first shrink link member pivotally coupled to the outer cylinder, a second shrink link member coupling the first shrink link member to the shock strut assembly, a crank member pivotally coupled to the outer cylinder, a drive member coupling the crank member to a walking beam of a landing gear retract mechanism, and a driven member coupling the crank member to the first shrink link member.

The invention relates to a method of driving an aircraft undercarriage between a deployed position and a retracted position, the undercarriage comprising a leg (2) that is hinged to a structure of the aircraft in order to be movable between those two positions and being stabilized in the deployed position by means of a brace member (10) comprising two limbs (11, 12) that are hinged to each other, one of which is coupled to the leg and the other of which is coupled to the structure of the aircraft, the limbs being brought into an aligned position when the leg is in the deployed position. According to the invention, a rotary actuator (20) is arranged on the aircraft, which actuator comprises first and second cranks (22, 24) that are mounted to turn freely about a common axis of rotation but that have a relative angular position that can be controlled, and that are arranged to stabilize the limbs of the brace member in the substantially aligned position.

The invention relates to a method of driving an aircraft undercarriage between a deployed position and a retracted position, the undercarriage comprising a leg (2) that is hinged to a structure of the aircraft in order to be movable between those two positions and being stabilized in the deployed position by means of a brace member (10) comprising two limbs (11, 12) that are hinged to each other, one of which is coupled to the leg and the other of which is coupled to the structure of the aircraft, the limbs being brought into an aligned position when the leg is in the deployed position. According to the invention, a rotary actuator (20) is arranged on the aircraft, which actuator comprises first and second cranks (22, 24) that are mounted to turn freely about a common axis of rotation but that have a relative angular position that can be controlled, and that are arranged to stabilize the limbs of the brace member in the substantially aligned position.

A landing gear system for an aircraft is disclosed. In various embodiments, the system includes a truss frame pivotally connected to a frame of the aircraft and configured to rotate about an axis; a retraction actuator configured to rotate the truss frame about the axis; a first truss link pivotally connected to the truss frame; a second truss link pivotally connected to the first truss link; a truss locking link pivotally connected to the truss frame and to the second truss link; and an articulation actuator configured to pivot the first truss link with respect to the truss frame.

A landing gear system for an aircraft is disclosed. In various embodiments, the system includes a truss frame pivotally connected to a frame of the aircraft and configured to rotate about an axis; a retraction actuator configured to rotate the truss frame about the axis; a first truss link pivotally connected to the truss frame; a second truss link pivotally connected to the first truss link; a truss locking link pivotally connected to the truss frame and to the second truss link; and an articulation actuator configured to pivot the first truss link with respect to the truss frame.

A retractable landing gear system configured to contour an aircraft fuselage includes a landing wheel having an axle, a wheel rotation strut assembly coupling the landing wheel to the aircraft fuselage and an actuation strut assembly configured to move the wheel rotation strut assembly between various positions including a deployed position and a stowed position. The axle of the landing wheel is pivotably coupled to a distal end of the wheel rotation strut assembly and configured to pivot relative to the wheel rotation strut assembly as the actuation strut assembly moves the wheel rotation strut assembly between the deployed and stowed positions such that the landing wheel generally contours the aircraft fuselage when the wheel rotation strut assembly is in the stowed position.

A retractable landing gear system configured to contour an aircraft fuselage includes a landing wheel having an axle, a wheel rotation strut assembly coupling the landing wheel to the aircraft fuselage and an actuation strut assembly configured to move the wheel rotation strut assembly between various positions including a deployed position and a stowed position. The axle of the landing wheel is pivotably coupled to a distal end of the wheel rotation strut assembly and configured to pivot relative to the wheel rotation strut assembly as the actuation strut assembly moves the wheel rotation strut assembly between the deployed and stowed positions such that the landing wheel generally contours the aircraft fuselage when the wheel rotation strut assembly is in the stowed position.