Technology update

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January/February 2004

Landing with Smiths

When the double-deck Airbus A380 taxies out to make its first commercial flight in 2006, the minds of its passengers—up to 555 of them—will probably not be focused on its landing gear. But it is a significant piece of technology that takes its place alongside the aircraft's line-up of novel systems, materials, and applications. The A380's landing gear will be supporting a maximum take-off mass of 560 t—of which some 20 t is accounted for by the gear itself.
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