What is the purpose of the gear down-and-locked warning light or horn?

• A. To indicate gear is retracted.
• B. To alert the crew if gear is not correctly extended and locked prior to landing.
• C. To indicate wheel brake overheating.
• D. To provide status of tire pressure.

Answer: (B)

Gear warning systems exist to catch situations where the airplane isn’t in a safe landing configuration. The gear down-and-locked warning light or horn is designed to alert the crew if the landing gear isn’t fully extended and locked before touchdown. This gives the pilots an immediate cue to verify or correct the gear position, or to divert if the gear cannot be made secure, preventing a dangerous gear-up or partial-gear landing.

In practice, sensors monitor gear position and lock status. If the system detects that the gear is not properly down and locked when it should be for landing, it triggers the warning so the crew can take timely action. This is distinct from indicators for wheel brake overheating or tire pressure, which come from different systems. The warning is specifically about unsafe gear geometry for landing and aims to ensure a safe, fully locked gear configuration.