Block V B‑52 Crew Chief Practice Exam

Centering the main landing gear for retraction is the primary job of the Centering Motor. When you raise the gear handle, the gearing and hydraulics move the MLG into the retraction sequence, and the Centering Motor precisely aligns all the main gear bogies to a centered position. This ensures the wheels sit cleanly in the gear well with the doors able to close without interference, and it helps prevent binding or misalignment during stowage.

This function isn’t about locking wheels during takeoff—that’s handled by wheel/brake systems. It also doesn’t regulate brake fluid temperature, which is a brake-system thermal control task. And it isn’t responsible for extending the landing gear; extension is done by the gear actuators during the lowering sequence, while the centering motor focuses on aligning the gear for proper retraction.