Gear Down Altitude

[ardypilot]

There was a lovely clear sky over Eastern Auckland this evening, and while I was having dinner I saw the familiar shape of an airliner crossing low across the sky on approach for a 23L landing at NZAA.

Today I noticed something a little different. The wheels of the Emirates 777 where already down, which I don't usually see overhead my place. Also, the front landing gear light was shining brightly, which caught my attention in the first place. This was at 6.24pm for anyone interested...

Anyway, what I am wondering about is, what altitude are you meant to deploy landing gear at? Is it determined by height above the ground, speed of aircraft (like flaps), or distance from the airport, or something else? What about with landing lights?

From what I aware, I believe that the height of the airliners crossing the sky above the Hauraki, west of Whitford, is around 2000 feet. Can anyone fill me in on some of the info I'm missing"¦ I'm just in a curious mood

[towerguy]

west of HD? they must be on a visual approach if they are joining on a right base for 23L inside HD so they should be about 2500-3000ft. They can get lower after radar coordinates with tower. They usually put their gear down established on the inbound but it varies depending on when and how they need to wash off speed or set up for a stabilised approach and this can vary according to different airlines and their operational requirements - also - I was at my sons hockey trials this evening and saw the same aircraft on the downwind that you mentioned and also thought that it was unusual.

[ardypilot]

Oh ok, thanks for the detailed answer TG.

Also, how much speed does lowering the landing gear have on these big heavies? I know it increases the drag and everything, but can it be compared to so many degrees of flap?

[Brennanx]

Yea I saw emirates today gear down and going very slow by bucklands beach heading to do their right turn at whitford I think then they would do another right turn and line up. I have seen Lan Chile and a couple of other planes do this. My dad said its very weird that they put their gear down over Manukua city.

[ardypilot]

Sorry for the confusion, when I say 'on approach for a 23L landing at NZAA', I didn't mean final appoach, but just on the way to Auckland International for landing.

From my deck, I can see most the heavies flying over the Bucklands Beach peninsula heading east towards whitford, where they make a right turn and descend below the hills behind Howick.

[Zöltuger]

I live in the central city, so I get the aircraft flying the downwind circuit to 23L flying almost overhead, and sometimes get aircraft heading out too

[Brennanx]

I know what ya mean Its weird seeing them put down their gear so early.

[Jimmy]

I belive most airliners put their gear down and flaps 20/30degress when the glideslop on the ils is about to intercept, that varys with the GSIA of course, so probably about 2000/3000ft. It has that sort of thing some checklistts (those checklists that actuly tell you how to fly the aircraft instead of just the system procs and suff )

The landing gear on some aircraft also produces alot of noise in the cabin I think, so putting them down before HD woudl be prety unpleasent, unless they really needed to loose some speed I suppose, but droping the flaps would proably achive more, from what I see in fs puting the gear down doesn't give that much of a reduce in ias.

But anyway thats just what I do in my sim

[jastheace]

i live in flat bush, raphoe road, the jest and such fly right over my place on approch, it is quite intresting, most deploy gear as they go over, some after, and there are the odd one or two that have gear and flaps are down before theyu fly over,

[Brennanx]

Where Trolly is talking about its very weird to see someone with their gear down. I have only seen around 4 do it around the area and I been living here for 7 years.

[kiwiflyboy]

Trolly, you and i live under the 10DME arc, and most of the aircraft flying overhead are generally on this (well so I can figure out) and will be about to track from XEDES to ORESO, but they are generally gear up, until they are established on the LLZ...

http://www.aip.net.nz/pdf/NZAA_41.3_41.4.pdf on page 2 is 23L

[Clipper]

The flight in question, had a gear problem, and was returning to AKl, hence your sighting of the LG down early.

Landed with no problems, and left shortly after for BNE

[HardCorePawn]

i live in flat bush, raphoe road, the jest and such fly right over my place on approch, it is quite intresting, most deploy gear as they go over, some after, and there are the odd one or two that have gear and flaps are down before theyu fly over,

Small world... my in-laws live on Raphoe Road... and its quite amusing to stand outside, look straight up as a heavy flies directly (and I mean directly) overhead

I have a funny feeling when my father in-law was looking at the section, he never went there on a sunday afternoon... either that, or he just wanted something to complain about!!

[Brennanx]

Yea heard about that. I saw the air new zealand 767 with its gear down around bucklands beach a couple months ago because it did the flypass so people could check if its gear was gown becuase the plane said they whernt.

[Alex]

...I saw the air new zealand 767 with its gear down...

Emirates 777 I think it was.

Alex

[Brennanx]

Did you read my before posts and the post properly :/ This was like 2 months ago the Air New Zealand one. I said I saw the emirates 777 with its gear down going slow. Familys friend said they had to drain all the fuel. Dont know if they meant drain it when it lands or burn it of.

[Alex]

Ah sorry, didn't catch that couple of months on the end there.

Alex

[Brennanx]

u woudn't of because I just added them in

[Bingobob]

The flight in question, had a gear problem, and was returning to AKl, hence your sighting of the LG down early.

Landed with no problems, and left shortly after for BNE

Where was you source of information?

Brennex, If it was a gear problem they would have had to burn it off before landing. Decreases landing weight and reduces the risk of fire.

[Brennanx]

First of all the emirates one it took of to Brisbane and had something rong and whent back to Auckland thats what our friends told us who work there. And the Air New Zealand one it compiters said the gear wasn't down but it really was so they did a fly pass to check. So then they just when of to land.