CHARACTERIZATION OF A SNAP GEAR FOR THE ARRESTER SYSTEM OF MILITARY AIRCRAFTS

In aviation, landing manoeuvres are among the most critical phases of the flight, especially when military aircrafts must land on aircraft carriers. Landing on a flight deck is not easy and requires precision, due to the short braking distances and the narrow space. In this case, airplanes are equipped with special auxiliary braking systems to engage the arresting cables held on the flight deck. The auxiliary braking device is composed of various parts, two of which are hooks: an arrester hook and a snap gear. In this paper a new snap gear hook is proposed and studied. The static and dynamic analyses are performed and the evaluation of the reaction time of the hook is obtained. Results are compared to experimental ones to validate the reliability of the prediction. Results demonstrate the efficiency of the new snap gear, and the developed models can be used for further modifications and improvements of the mechanism, to meet specific requirements.