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When the Airbus A380 first flew in 2005, it changed long-haul travel. One of its key engineering features is a landing gear system with 22 wheels. This design is necessary to distribute the plane's weight, which exceeds 560 tonnes, safely on the ground.
The A380's landing gear supports over 1.2 million pounds at maximum takeoff weight, which is nearly 40% heavier than a Boeing 747-400. To handle this load without damaging airport runways, Airbus designed a system with two nose gear wheels and 20 main landing gear wheels spread across underwing bogies and body gear assemblies.
The design ensures that each wheel carries less stress compared to other aircraft like the Boeing 747-400. This distribution protects airport infrastructure and allows the A380 to operate at more airports worldwide.
