AFOQT Practice Test

Which of the following describes tricycle landing gear?

1. Two rear wheels and one front wheel

2. One main gear and one nose gear

3. Two main gears positioned side by side

4. Three wheels arranged in a straight line

The correct answer is: One main gear and one nose gear

The correct answer is that tricycle landing gear consists of three wheels arranged in a specific configuration. This type of landing gear includes one main gear under each wing (or along the fuselage) and one nose gear located at the front of the aircraft. This arrangement provides better stability during takeoff, landing, and ground handling compared to designs with wheels positioned differently. Tricycle landing gear enhances visibility for the pilot during taxiing, as the nose gear allows for better control when steering the aircraft on the ground. Additionally, this configuration minimizes the likelihood of a nose-over incident during landing, which can occur with tailwheel designs. The other options do not accurately represent tricycle landing gear. For instance, a description of two rear wheels with one front wheel aligns more with a different wheel configuration known as a "taildragger" or "conventional landing gear." The mention of "one main gear and one nose gear" does not capture the complete arrangement of three wheels, and two main gears positioned side by side does not conform to the definition of tricycle gear, which requires the inclusion of the nose gear.