← All explained questions · Supplemental · XII — Postflight Procedures

For airplanes equipped with retractable landing gear, the LANDING GEAR LEVER should be in what position when parked?

Choices

Up.
Up risks retraction in next start.
✓ Down (and locked) per the POH.correct
Leave the gear lever DOWN and locked per the POH: the gear-down position prevents accidental retraction during pre-flight or maintenance. Retractable-gear airplanes: gear lever stays DOWN AND LOCKED while parked. This prevents accidental retraction during ground checks (some squat switches fail). Some POHs specify pulling the gear circuit breaker or installing a gear lockout pin. Walk away with gear UP and you risk a 'gear-up' incident on next start. POH governs.
Neutral.
Gear levers don't have neutral.
POH-specified, sometimes neutralized.
POH always says down for parked retractable.

Why

Leave the gear lever DOWN and locked per the POH: the gear-down position prevents accidental retraction during pre-flight or maintenance. Retractable-gear airplanes: gear lever stays DOWN AND LOCKED while parked. This prevents accidental retraction during ground checks (some squat switches fail). Some POHs specify pulling the gear circuit breaker or installing a gear lockout pin. Walk away with gear UP and you risk a 'gear-up' incident on next start. POH governs.

FAA source: POH, AFH Ch 2browse the reference library →

Covered in Supplemental · XII — Postflight Procedures — study the lessons free, then practice with grading and mastery tracking.

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Original study question written for this course — representative of FAA knowledge-test topics, not an actual current FAA exam question. Reviewed by a panel of three CFIs + AI review.