PLT138: Aircraft Landing Gear
What code PLT138 covers, why the FAA tests it, and how to study Aircraft Landing Gear before your checkride.
Recall aircraft landing gear/tires - types / characteristics
What this means for your checkride
Landing gear is fixed or retractable, in tricycle or tailwheel arrangements. Retractable gear cuts drag but adds systems and the risk of a gear-up landing, which is why warning horns and a squat switch guard against retracting or landing misconfigured.
Gear type affects handling, systems, and emergencies, so the FAA tests the configurations and the protections on retractable gear.
Pilots overlook the squat switch's role. It prevents gear retraction on the ground; the warning horn covers the reverse, reduced power with the gear not down.
Where to study it
A code on your test report is an area of deficiency. An authorized instructor must review it with you and endorse that review before you take the practical test, and the examiner may revisit it during the oral. Study it until you can explain it out loud, not just recognize the answer.