Landing Gear Wheel Load
Calculate the main landing gear wheel load, P_wheel = (W·f) ÷ n, from the aircraft weight W (N), the fraction of weight carried by the main gear f (typically ~0.90-0.95, the nose gear carries the rest) and the number of main gear wheels n. This load is the starting point of airport pavement design: it is the force each wheel transmits to the pavement, governing the required thickness and strength of runways, taxiways and aprons. Modern aircraft spread their huge weight over multi-wheel gears (4, 6 or more wheel bogies) precisely to reduce wheel load and pavement damage. The concept links to the ACN/PCN system (Aircraft/Pavement Classification Number) for compatibility checks, and to the equivalent single-wheel load (ESWL) that converts a real multi-wheel gear into one equivalent wheel for design. Enter the aircraft weight, the main gear fraction and the number of wheels.
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Landing gear wheel load
The wheel load on the main landing gear is P_wheel = (W·f) ÷ n, from the aircraft weight W, the fraction f of that weight carried by the main gear (typically 0.90 to 0.95, since the nose gear takes the remainder) and the number n of main gear wheels. This load is the starting point for the design of every airport pavement: it is the force each wheel transmits to the surface, and it dictates the thickness and the strength required of runways, taxiways and aprons. Modern aircraft spread their enormous weight (a Boeing 777 or an Airbus A380 weighs hundreds of tonnes) over gear assemblies with multiple wheels — bogies of four, six or more wheels — precisely to cut the load per wheel and, with it, the damage done to the pavement; spreading the load over more wheels allows operation on thinner pavements. The concept ties directly into the ACN/PCN system (Aircraft/Pavement Classification Number), the international method for checking compatibility between an aircraft and the bearing capacity of a pavement (an aircraft whose ACN exceeds the PCN of the pavement cannot operate without restrictions), and into the equivalent single wheel load (ESWL), which converts a real multiple-wheel configuration into a single wheel of equivalent effect, simplifying the pavement thickness calculation. Enter the aircraft weight, the main gear fraction and the number of wheels.
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The results provided by this tool are for general informational and educational purposes only and do not constitute professional, financial, medical, legal, tax or accounting advice. Always confirm important decisions with a qualified professional and official sources.