Plain English Meaning

The wheels and supporting parts the airplane sits, rolls, and lands on.

Full Definition

The structural components of an aircraft, typically including wheels, struts, tires, brakes, and shock-absorbing assemblies, that support the airplane on the ground and allow it to taxi, take off, and land. Landing gear may be fixed (permanently extended) or retractable (stowed in flight to reduce drag), and is configured as either tricycle (nosewheel forward) or conventional (tailwheel aft).

Context Anchor

You inspect the landing gear during preflight, especially the tires, brakes, and visible support parts, before the airplane moves.

Derivation

Landing means coming down onto a surface. originally meant equipment or working parts used for a job. In , landing gear means the equipment used for the job of supporting the aircraft when it is on or near the ground.