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The test is a normal part of the ground testing of the aircraft, and the results exceeded expectations - the gear is tested to failure. All is fine. The test consists of towing the aircraft, at maximum weight, forward, backward, in normal turns, in tight turns, and laterally. The goal is to assess the landing gear's structural integrity in all directions in abusive cases. The test does not replicate normal aircraft operations.
Below is a story that was posted on Flight International's on-line daily news service - Air Transport Intelligence:
A380 tyres withstand extreme handling tests: Airbus
London (15Jul05, 12:01 GMT, 174 words)
Airbus is claiming that the undercarriage and tyres on its A380 aircraft have performed as expected after being subjected to extreme ground-handling tests last month.
Images show that the tests resulted in deformation and damage to the aircraft’s Michelin tyres but that they performed “at and above” expected levels during the abusive ground-handling tests on 25 June.
The A380 main undercarriage comprises two four-wheel under-wing bogies and, behind them, two six-wheel fuselage-mounted bogies. The rear axle of the six-wheel bogie is normally steerable during push-back and taxiing.
But unless electrical power is supplied to the aircraft during towing - by the aircraft or from generators on the tow-tractor - the axle remains locked.
Airbus states that the undercarriage tests were designed to take the undercarriage and tyres “way beyond the limit of normal operations” and adds: “[The tests] were the equivalent of the structural static airframe tests to destruction.
“Although these tests were designed to test up to maximum deformation and beyond, the gear did exactly what it is supposed to do.”
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