We designed a leafspring, composite main fixed landing gear leg of a general aviation aeroplane. We calculated the critical ground load. By using a simplified static model, we preliminarily sized the leg using analytical bending theory of slender beams. We were faced with a demanding design of such leg, which must, as a leafspring, comply to two conditions: strength and deformation. We prepared a CAD model of this leg. Then we performed a strain analysis of the CAD model using finite element method. We concluded that for preliminary design, the analytical calculation by the bending theory of slender beams on a simplified static model is suitable, but for optimization of geometry, the more accurate and detailed finite element method analysis is needed.
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