Abstract: An aspect provides a skid landing gear assembly including a cross member disposed between a first skid tube and a second skid tube, and a tension cable member configured to be disposed in the cross member; wherein the tension cable member resists outward deflection of at least a portion of the skid landing gear assembly when a downward load is applied to the skid landing gear assembly. In other aspects, there are methods of avoiding ground resonance in a skid landing gear assembly, methods of assembling a skid landing gear assembly, methods of operating a helicopter with a skid landing gear assembly, and methods of improving the service life of a skid landing gear assembly.

Abstract: In a first aspect, there is a helicopter skid landing gear assembly including a front cross tube configured to interconnect two skid tubes; and a rear cross tube configured to interconnect two skid tubes; wherein at least one of the cross tubes comprises a monolithic metallic tube having a cross-section with a round exterior shape and an elliptical hollow portion therein. In a second aspect, there is a method for retrofitting a helicopter with a landing gear assembly; the method including providing a front cross tube and a rear cross tube, at least one of the front cross tube and the rear cross tube comprises a monolithic metallic tube having a cross-section with a substantially round exterior shape and an elliptical hollow portion therein; and connecting the front cross tube and rear cross tube to a fuselage.

Abstract: An aspect provides a skid landing gear assembly including a cross member disposed between a first skid tube and a second skid tube, and a tension cable member configured to be disposed in the cross member; wherein the tension cable member resists outward deflection of at least a portion of the skid landing gear assembly when a downward load is applied to the skid landing gear assembly. In other aspects, there are methods of avoiding ground resonance in a skid landing gear assembly, methods of assembling a skid landing gear assembly, methods of operating a helicopter with a skid landing gear assembly, and methods of improving the service life of a skid landing gear assembly.

Abstract: In a first aspect, there is a helicopter skid landing gear assembly including a front cross tube configured to interconnect two skid tubes; and a rear cross tube configured to interconnect two skid tubes; wherein at least one of the cross tubes comprises a monolithic metallic tube having a cross-section with a round exterior shape and an elliptical hollow portion therein. In a second aspect, there is a method for retrofitting a helicopter with a landing gear assembly; the method including providing a front cross tube and a rear cross tube, at least one of the front cross tube and the rear cross tube comprises a monolithic metallic tube having a cross-section with a substantially round exterior shape and an elliptical hollow portion therein; and connecting the front cross tube and rear cross tube to a fuselage.