How are the main landing gear locked in the down position?

The main landing gear is locked in the down position primarily through the use of mechanical pins. These pins engage once the landing gear is fully extended, providing a reliable and robust locking mechanism that ensures the gear remains secure during landing and taxiing.

Mechanical pins are favored in this application due to their simplicity and reliability. They operate without the need for complex systems, which minimizes the chances of failure. They are designed to physically block the landing gear from retracting until the proper procedures are followed for takeoff or during the gear retraction sequence, ensuring safety during all phases of flight.

While hydraulic locks can play a role in the overall operation of the landing gear system, they are mainly involved in the actuation of the gear rather than the locking mechanism itself. Electromagnetic braces are not typically used in this context, as they are less common in conventional aircraft landing gear systems. Spring-loaded mechanisms could theoretically assist in the locking process, but they lack the definitive locking capability offered by mechanical pins.