There aren’t many Boeing 737 planes flying around the Philippines because only two airlines use them, and those are exclusively for freight. The Boeing 737s we spot are all flown by international carriers. There is, however, something fascinating to observe if you were on the ground during these planes’ takeoff. When a 737’s landing gear is up, it’s still visible. It is now time to talk about the exposed landing gear of the Boeing 737 and why it didn’t have a door.
The doors actually hide the front landing gear. The main landing gear wheels of the 737, on the other hand, can still be seen under the plane even when the gear is pulled back.
The Boeing 737’s origins can be traced back to the 1960s, which is why it hasn’t changed much since then. Back then, belt loaders and other ground support machinery were hardly ever seen at even the largest international airports, let alone the smaller regional ones.
The Boeing 737 was designed to sit low
Commercial airlines requested the 737’s development so that they would have a small, single-aisle regional jet with a shorter range that could land at smaller, more remote airports. Their needs demanded a great deal of adaptability. Ground facilities at local airports were inadequate for aircraft at the time. Keeping this in mind, Boeing designed the 737 to have a relatively low ground clearance, making it easier for the ground crew to load and unload cargo.
This design and function meant that the fuselage could not include doors for the main landing gear since they would have been too low to the ground. Given the 737’s low profile, if these doors failed to close and stayed open, they may make touch with the ground. This might increase potential dangers, hence it was left out.
On the external-facing side, the wheels’ hub cabs are smooth to improve the aircraft’s aerodynamics. The rubber gasket that covers the hole in the fuselage is a nice touch. As a result, the landing gear enclosure is protected from debris and water.
Although the 737 has been modernized with the MAX, the layout of the plane’s main landing gear has not altered, therefore the plane’s main wheels are still visible. There is no need to worry though, as no 737 accident has ever been traced back to the layout of this main landing gear design
The Boeing 737 has had this design since the 1960s and I doubt that this will ever change.
First love never dies. I fell in love with airplanes and aviation when I was a kid. My dream was to become a pilot, but destiny led me to another path: to be an aviation digital media content creator and a small business owner. My passion for aviation inspires me to bring you quality content through my website and social accounts. Aviation is indeed in my blood and blog!
