Definition
A cockpit indicator light that illuminates to confirm the landing gear is fully extended and locked down in the landing position.
Plain English
A small light in the cockpit that tells the pilot the wheels are down and locked, ready for landing.
Context Anchor
Seen during before-landing checks in aircraft with landing gear that can be raised after takeoff and lowered before landing.
Derivation
“Landing gear” means the aircraft parts used to support it on the ground, such as wheels and struts. “Extended” comes from a word meaning “stretched out,” but in this cockpit use it means the gear has moved out of its stored position and into its landing position.
Why Pilots Care
Confirms the gear is safe for touchdown and helps prevent gear-up landings.
Intuition Check
Do not read “extended” as “made longer.” Here it means the landing gear has been moved down and out of its stored position.
Example Sentence 1
On final approach, the pilot lowered the gear and waited for the landing-gear-extended light to confirm it was down and locked.
Example Sentence 2
Absence of the landing-gear-extended light prompted the pilot to use the emergency extension handle.