QF B734 missing landing gear door

[Ray P.]

Hi guys,
I was doing a spot of spotting at Adelaide Airport when I took a shot of this QF B734 (VH-TJI). A friend noted that the RH MLG didn't look right. Clearly it is missing the RH MLG strut fairing (door). I noticed a safety vehicle travel up and down the runway after the takeoff but didn't observe it stop at any point although I didn't watch it for the whole time it was out there. Question is; did the door fall off prior to or on takeoff? or; was it missing to start with and launched anyway? Surely this door would be part of the aircraft's MEL? Anybody have any info?

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[Philip Argy]

This from Boeing 737 design description might assist:

To save weight and reduce cost and complexity the 737 lacks full doors to cover the main landing gear. The main landing gear (under the wings at mid-cabin) rotate into wells in the aircraft's belly, the legs being covered by partial doors, and "brush-like" seals aerodynamically smooth (or "fair") the wheels in the wells. The sides of the tires are exposed to the air in flight. "Hub caps" complete the aerodynamic profile of the wheels. It is forbidden to operate without the caps, because they are links to the ground speed sensor that interfaces with the anti-skid brake system. When observing a 737 takeoff, or at low altitude, the dark circles of the tires can be plainly seen.

[Andrew McLaughlin]

Ray clearly said...

Clearly it is missing the RH MLG strut fairing (door).

...and he's right. Good catch Ray!

[Ray P.]

Originally Posted by Andrew McLaughlin

Ray clearly said...

...and he's right. Good catch Ray!

Thanks Andrew. You are correct, I am talking about the strut fairing. I have known that B737's don't have doors covering their gear since I was a boy watching the first Ansett B732s flying over my high school in Brisbane back in the early 1980s. This is the fairing that I am talking about.I thought the responses to this thread were very slow forthcoming, there were lots of views but no responses. Everyone must have thought I was a numpty. As asked in my first post, is this part of the aircraft's MEL. For clarification I have zoomed in on the missing culprit;

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[Andrew P]

Ray P

what should do if post a photo of a 737 with the door for comparison

Banjo

[Anthony J]

Hi Ray, although rare it is permissible to operate most Boeing types with parts of gear doors missing (as well as other bits!) We have a Configuration Deviation List (CDL) that lists what we can go without.
On the 767 we can have various bits of gear doors missing, from hinge covers to entire panels. Some limit the speed but the operation can continue. Particularly handy if FOD or ramp-rash occurs.
Cheers.

[Nigel C]

Ramp-rash...nice one!

[Brenden S]

or Ramp Rage as what we engineers tend to call it. It would be a weight and a speed penalty for the missing door under the CDL manual

[Ray P.]

Originally Posted by Andrew P

Ray P

what should do if post a photo of a 737 with the door for comparison

Banjo

Thanks Banjo, what a great idea;

Now you see it...now you don't. (Please note that the comparison is with a B73H)

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Originally Posted by Anthony J

Hi Ray, although rare it is permissible to operate most Boeing types with parts of gear doors missing (as well as other bits!) We have a Configuration Deviation List (CDL) that lists what we can go without.
On the 767 we can have various bits of gear doors missing, from hinge covers to entire panels. Some limit the speed but the operation can continue. Particularly handy if FOD or ramp-rash occurs.
Cheers.

Thanks Anthony, answers all of my questions, though this seems like a pretty large fairing to be without..

[Ray P.]

Originally Posted by Andrew McLaughlin

Good catch Ray!

The credit goes to my mate Tim who was standing beside me when I took the pics.