Aircraft landing gear loader

A method for loading a main landing gear (“MLG”) of an aircraft, the method comprising:

• coupling a fixture to a truck of the MLG such that both translational forces and turning moments applied to the fixture are coupled through the fixture directly to the MLG;
• controllably translating the fixture in at least one of a horizontal plane and a sagittal plane of the MLG until an upper end of a strut of the MLG is aligned with a wheel well of the aircraft, wherein controllably translating the comprises:
• coupling a pair of slide mechanisms to the fixture on opposite sides of the sagittal plane;
• and,
• urging the two slide mechanisms in a simultaneous, coextensive translational movement parallel to the sagittal plane;
• and
• controllably rotating the fixture in at least one of the sagittal plane and a horizontal plane until the upper end of the strut is disposed within the wheel well.

An aircraft main landing gear (“MLG”) loader, comprising:

• a U-shaped support frame comprising two symmetrical, L-shaped half-units disposed in opposition to each other on opposite sides of a sagittal plane thereof;
• two pairs of opposing vertical jacks, each pair including a jack having a base end supported on a corresponding one of the opposing support frame half-portions and an opposite output end vertically extendable and retractable relative to the base end, and wherein a first pair of the jacks is fixed relative to the support frame and a second pair is horizontally moveable on the support frame relative to the first pair;
• a mechanism for controllably extending and retracting the output ends of the jacks in each opposing pair of jacks simultaneously, coextensively and independently of the output ends of the other pair of jacks;
• a pair of slide mechanisms, each having a pair of sliding members slidably disposed thereon and an associated pair of foot-blocks coupled thereto, each foot-block mechanism rotatably coupling a corresponding opposite end portion of the associated slide mechanism to a corresponding one of the output ends of the jacks;
• a pair of mechanisms for respectively urging the sliding members of the slide mechanisms in simultaneous, coextensive translational movement relative to the support frame and parallel to the sagittal plane;
• and,
• a mechanism for coupling both axial forces and turning moments applied to the sliding members of the slide mechanisms to the MLG.