When to lower and raise the landing gear

[Selbio]

 Hi,


I have been flying the Posky a330, 767, 747 and all kinds of heavy widebody aicraft.
Usually I raise the landing gear shortly after take off( few feet off the ground). I would like to know when to exactly raise the gear. I know it's after you make sure there is positive rate of climb but at what altitude?
The reason I ask is because I see pictures of aircraft with the gear up and a certain altitude and then I've seen other pictures where the plane is even higher and still has the gear down.

How about lowering the landing gear. How far from the airport and at what altitude.
I remember asking about this before and it was like a year ago and I just can't remember.


Thanks in advance.

[garymbuska]

In the real world most commerical airline raise gear when they have established a postive rate of climb. As for landing any where from 50 nm out to say 75 nm out.
Just make sure to check your air speed and you should have at least 10 degrees of flaps down first. Altitude should be somehere between 1200 and 3000 feet. But you can raise or lower the landing whenever you want.
But unless you do not want landing gear do not lower gear above airspeed of 250 knots as if you do you probably can kiss them bye bye.
If you have realism turned on the sim will not allow you lower your gear if are going to fast. If not you will hear a warning sound telling you that you are about to rip the gear off the plane.

[Craig.]

i wouldnt lower them 50 to 75nm miles out try 20 absolute most, with best being about 10 to 13nm's

[jrpilot]

The proper way i beleave....is when on the final approach you lower becasue if you don't you will be using extra fuel...I think the same thing goes for flaps...to a point you need flaps not to stall....but as you go to flpas 40 that all happens on the final approach ruffley 7-10 miles out....hope this helps

[TerryW]

Selbio,
I had read somewhere on these forums, probably over a year ago, that gear came up at 200 ft agl, and flaps in at 1000 ft agl......positive rate of climb, etc. having been established......believe the flaps thing had something to do with noise abatement.
Terry

[Selbio]

Thanks everybody,

I was usually raising the gear right after take off. I guess I need to wait just a little longer until establishing a positive rate of climb.

I lower flaps as needed, when reducing airspeed to land without stalling. I raise them again as needed. If see the aircraft is climbing at around 2000-3000 fpm(depending on the aircraft ZFW, I have even gone as far as 4400fpm ascent on the 767) and I see that it keeps gaining airspeed I raise the flaps gradually.

If it needs to be done different than that, let me know.

[logjam]

Gear is raised when "There is no usable length of runway" left. Flaps are raised when a "positive rate of climb" is acheived. As for using gear and flaps on approach, that depends on aircraft type of course. Light aircraft pilots have to call 3 greens on finals and use flaps to lose height rather than reduce power. Then again if you are a "jock" you may never use flaps, just do tight circuits and side slip at short finals, dropping the gear as you turn.  ;D

[Selbio]

Ok I have another question for yall.

I like doing real sharp turns on final approach with them widebody aircraft

[BFMF]

On Base before you over fly the centerline

For me, It's instinct, and I always seem to know.

Just do a lot of flying and you'll figure it out

[Selbio]

I guess I'll follow my instict from now on. I have been starting the turn too soon but still good enough to where I can line up no problems.

[chomp_rock]

Experience will tell you when to turn, as for gear up and down I put the gear up at positive climb, put it down 1m out on final and i put the flaps up at 500ft and down as soon as I enter final.

[Selbio]

I have gotten much better. I was having issues with Posky's 767 on laning but for some reason after I turned the realism settings to real in fs2002 landing has been much better.
It may just be my case but after I did that I have been making real nice landings. The whole flying experience has changed. I can't beleive I've been using fs2002 for quite some time now and never even noticed those little details.

[Roberto]

I live abt. 5nm from the airport and 9 out of 10 times I watch the LG comming out. The other one time the LG isn't out yet. With smaller AC like CRJ's, fokker's etc. I still don't notice any LG. I live basically under the approach path.

LOWERING GEAR: Here's the proper IFR approach procedure for your AC: come in to your final approach altitude (normally abt. 4000) before establishing ILS at about 210kts (230 max). When you have ILS established (and GlideSlope) lower speed to abt. 190. When you're about 6nm from the RW LOWER THE GEAR. Lower the speed to abt. 170 kts. for touchdown.
I would never lower the gear more than 10 miles out!!

[Selbio]

Before I aksed, I was lowering the gear when the airport was in sight  but not too far. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't lowering doing it wrong.

I have also noticed some aircraft with the landing gear down and the airport is about 15nm from my school but these were them MD-11 from fedex.

[Nexus]

extending the gears is a great way to reduce speed very rapidly, however the technique is not "official" recommended but I haven't met ONE airline pilot that has not used it