Mechanical Part 4: Landing Gear Kinematics & Dual-Spring Suspension (STOL)

A tricycle landing gear layout was integrated to protect belly-mounted payloads on unpaved runways. Main struts attach directly to wing bulkheads, routing landing kinetic energy into the 10 mm carbon spars rather than the skin. Symmetrical dual helical springs absorb shock without rebound, verified via an 8 kg drop test. Extending the nose strut relative to the main gear establishes a passive +2 degree Ground Angle of Attack (Ground AoA) for rapid rotation.