Aviation

Emirates Engineering executes first complete landing gear change for Emirates A380 aircraft

Dubai, UAE, 29 May 2018– Emirates Engineering has successfully accomplished the first complete replacement of landing gear on A6-EDF, the first Emirates Airbus A380 aircraft to have its entire landing gear system replaced at one time.

Comprising five sets of landing gear – two under the wings, two under the body, and one nose landing gear, the work was planned and executed in-house, at the Emirates Engineering hangars in Dubai.

Every Emirates Airbus A380 aircraft has a landing gear system with a total of 22 landing wheels. In addition to the wheels, the landing gear mechanism of the aircraft includes the gear extension and retraction systems, braking and steering controls, and other monitoring systems. The landing gear of the world’s largest commercial aircraft can support a weight of close to 570 tonnes on take-off and over 390 tonnes on landing.

The process of changing all the landing gears was completed in 14 days with the Emirates Engineering team clocking thousands of man hours during this period. For the duration of the work, the entire aircraft was lifted on jacks to support the body of the aircraft.

Watch a video of the Emirates Engineering team completing the landing gear replacement on A6-EDF.

“The first complete replacement of landing gears on our Airbus A380 aircraft is an important milestone for us. This and other similar achievements by the Emirates Engineering team reflects the degree of planning, preparation and expertise that go behind the successful execution of complex projects such as this one,” said Mohammad Jaffar Nasser, Emirates Senior Vice President, Engineering Maintenance. “By extending our services to third party airlines, we share our expertise and enhance engineering procedures globally,” he added.

Two additional Airbus A380 aircraft from Emirates’ fleet are scheduled to undergo a complete change of landing gear systems over 2018. In addition to investments in infrastructure and facilities including specialised tools, the Emirates Engineering team worked closely with a team of suppliers – Airbus, Field International, UTAS and Safran to plan and execute the landing gear replacement.

Emirates Engineering operates modern and extensive facilities in Dubai, including six heavy maintenance hangars capable of conducting C-Checks on the Airbus A 380 and the world’s largest dedicated aircraft painting facility, to maintain Emirates’ fleet of over 260 Airbus A380 and Boeing 777 aircraft. Emirates Engineering also offers Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) services to external parties leveraging off its experience of being the world’s largest operator of the Airbus A380 and the Boeing 777 aircraft.

Related Topics:Airbus A380 Emirates landing gear

Aviation

COMAC Unveils Plans for the C929 to Rival Airbus and Boeing

After the success of China’s first C919 aircraft, the country is setting its sights on developing a larger plane. COMAC (Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China) has officially confirmed plans to build a widebody aircraft, marking a significant step in its aircraft lineup.

Traditionally, Airbus and Boeing dominate the widebody aircraft market, with decades of expertise in developing planes and engines capable of carrying heavy payloads. China, which currently relies on imported engines, is now aiming to challenge these giants with its own widebody jet, the C929, designed to compete with the Airbus A350 and Boeing 777.

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The C929 will be China’s first independently developed long-range widebody aircraft. It adheres to international airworthiness standards and boasts independent intellectual property rights. The baseline version is designed to seat 280 passengers and offers a range of 12,000 kilometers, catering to global demand for both regional and international air travel.

Russia, which also needs reliable narrowbody and widebody aircraft, could become a key customer for the C929. Additionally, China plans to target the broader Asian market as it continues to expand its aviation capabilities.

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China’s aviation progress includes the ARJ21 (now called C909), a regional jet with 100 seats for shorter routes, and the C919, a narrowbody jet with 180 seats designed to rival the Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus A320. Both models have found increasing demand in the domestic market.

At China’s largest air show in Zhuhai, COMAC announced that Air China will be the launch customer for the C929 widebody jet, though details about order size and delivery timelines were not disclosed.

Other major deals announced by COMAC include:

Hainan Airlines: Firm orders for 60 C919 and 40 C909 regional jets.
Colorful Guizhou Airlines: 30 C909 jets, with 20 firm orders and 10 provisional agreements.

The C929, renamed from the CR929 after Russia withdrew from the joint development project in 2023, is expected to carry 280–400 passengers with a range of 12,000 kilometers, competing directly with Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner.

According to COMAC’s deputy general manager, Tong Yu, the first fuselage section of the C929 is expected by September 2027, with prototype test flights anticipated soon after.