At what nose-up attitude do the tail skid and main landing gear contact the surface simultaneously?

At what nose-up attitude do the tail skid and main landing gear contact the surface simultaneously?

• A. 5 degree nose up
• B. 6 degree nose up
• C. 7 degree nose up
• D. 8 degree nose up

Answer: (C)

The key idea is how the aircraft’s gear geometry determines when contact with the ground happens as you pitch nose-up. The main landing gear sits higher and forward relative to the tail skid, so when you raise the nose the tail lowers toward the surface. For the MH-65E, the geometry is such that the tail skid and the main gear touch the surface at the same moment at about seven degrees nose-up. This angle marks the point where both contact points are on the ground together, signaling a limit of the ground-contact envelope and a reminder to watch tail-strike risk during takeoff or landing rolls. At angles smaller than that, the main gear would be on the ground with the tail skid still clear; at angles larger than that, the tail skid would begin to contact as the nose continues to rise, before or as the main gear remains in contact depending on the precise geometry.

The key idea is how the aircraft’s gear geometry determines when contact with the ground happens as you pitch nose-up. The main landing gear sits higher and forward relative to the tail skid, so when you raise the nose the tail lowers toward the surface. For the MH-65E, the geometry is such that the tail skid and the main gear touch the surface at the same moment at about seven degrees nose-up. This angle marks the point where both contact points are on the ground together, signaling a limit of the ground-contact envelope and a reminder to watch tail-strike risk during takeoff or landing rolls. At angles smaller than that, the main gear would be on the ground with the tail skid still clear; at angles larger than that, the tail skid would begin to contact as the nose continues to rise, before or as the main gear remains in contact depending on the precise geometry.