§3.353 Limit drop tests.

(a) If comPliance with the specified limit landing conditions of § 3.352 (a) is demonstrated by free drop tests, these shall be conducted on the complete airplane, or on units consisting of wheel, tire, and shock absorber in their proper relation, from free drop heights not less than the following: R (inches) =3.6 (W/S)o8 except that the free drop height shall not be less than 9.2 inches and need not be greater than 18.7 inches. (b) In simulating the permissible wing lift in free drop tests, the landing gear unit shall be dropped with an effective mass equal to: w= te *] ata where: W,.=the effective welght to be used in the drop test. h=specified height of drop in inches. d=deflection under impact of the tire (at the approved inflation pressure) plus the vertical component of the axle travel relative to the drop mass. The value of d used in the computation of We shall not exceed the value actually obtained in the drop tests. W=Wy for main gear units, and shail be equal to the static weight on the particular unit with the atrPlane in the level attitude (with the nose wheel clear, in the case of nose wheel type airplanes). W=W,r for tail gear units, and shall be equal to the static weight on the tail unit with the airplane in the tall down attitude. W=Wy for nose wheel units, and shal} be equal to the static reaction which will exist at the nose wheel when the mass of the airplane is concentrated at the center of gravity and exerts a force of 1.0g downward and 0.339 forward. L=ratio of assumed wing lift to airPlane welght, not greater than 0.687, The attitude in which the landing gear unit is drop tested shall be such as to simulate the airplane landing condition which is critical from the standpoint of energy to be absorbed by the particular unit.