Post 22: Engineering Carbon Composite Landing Gear for the Canyon Lightning™ - PHASE 1
In the backcountry, your landing gear is your insurance policy. Most ultralights rely on heavy, rigid steel pipes that either bend and stay bent, or rattle your teeth out on every rock.
The Canyon Way: RC tech at full scale
Today I'm mocking up the landing gear for the Canyon Lightning™. I'm using a skunkworks technique I've used for years on high-performance RC models, bringing it to life at 1:1 scale
The Anatomy of the Gear:
The Core: Laminated 1/8" Douglas Fir strips. Wood has a natural "memory" and spring rate that steel simply cannot match.
The Exoskeleton: Soon I'll be wrapping this in IM2 UD and twill carbon. The carbon provides the "snap" to pull the gear back into shape instantly after a heavy thump in the desert.
The Weight Savings:
A standard steel gear assembly for an ultralight can easily push 15-20 lbs. This carbon-hybrid setup should come in around 5 lbs or less. That 10 lb rebate is exactly how we can afford to run a 4-stroke V-twin and 26" bush tires without blowing past Part 103 weight limits.
Why it wins:
No "set": Unlike steel, this gear won't stay bent after a hard landing.
Damping: The wood/carbon hybrid absorbs high-frequency vibrations that crack metal frames.
Ease of build: No welding. Just a 2x6 jig, some epoxy, and a roll of black gold.
Stay tuned for Phase 2 of the landing gear design!
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