Definition
Cockpit indicator lights (typically green) that illuminate when each landing gear leg is fully extended and mechanically locked into the down position, confirming the gear is safe for landing.
Plain English
Lights in the cockpit that turn on to tell the pilot the wheels are all the way down and locked in place, ready to land.
Context Anchor
Seen in aircraft with retractable landing gear during cockpit checks, before landing, and when confirming gear position.
Why Pilots Care
Confirms the gear is ready for landing, preventing gear-up landings.
Intuition Check
Do not read “down and locked” as “the gear is probably visible” or “partly extended.” In this context, it means the airplane’s system is indicating the gear is fully extended and mechanically secured.
Example Sentence 1
On final approach, the pilot checked that all three landing gear down and locked lights were illuminated before continuing to land.
Example Sentence 2
During the visual preflight, the instructor pointed out the landing gear down and locked lights on the panel.