Preliminary Assessment of an FBG-Based Landing Gear Weight on Wheel System

Weight-on-Wheels (WoW) systems are aimed at indicating if the aircraft weight is loading onto landing gear and its wheels, even partially. These an integral part of actuation system for safety-critical applications shall provide reliable information on actual operational status LG. That reveals vehicle in flight or ground. In this way, several kinds accidents may be prevented, relating instance, to incorrect deployment gear, manoeuvres a certain extent, therefore protecting from dangerous damage. There different architectures that have been proposed bibliography, some them based strain gauges deployed structure, proximity sensors installed wheels. Being device considered critical safety, it convenient couple with complementary measurements, recorded processed by sources. general, can stated such intelligent sensor network seen as fundamental support proper deployment. The presented paper reports results preliminary investigation performed authors evaluate possibility deploying fibre optics structure WoW retrieve required information. This choice would remarkable effect terms significant cabling reduction (a single array sensing elements could over line), cost abatement both manufacturing point view. many other benefits also when referring optical instead standard electrical system. Due small size ease integration into families materials, monitoring operating most actuators board modern aircraft.