Why The Boeing 787’s Gear Retraction System Is Unlike Any Other Commercial Aircraft

The landing gear on a commercial aircraft normally follows a remarkably predictable sequence after take-off – the aircraft becomes airborne, the pilots confirm a positive rate of climb, the landing gear lever is moved to UP, the doors open, and the gear disappears into the fuselage. On the Boeing 787-9 and 787-10 Dreamliner, however, that sequence contains a small but important twist. The main landing gear doors can begin opening before the pilots have even touched the gear lever, making the 787’s procedure unusually different from the conventional arrangement.