How long does emergency gear extension normally take?

The process of emergency gear extension is designed to be efficient to ensure the aircraft can safely land in situations where normal gear extension fails. Typically, the emergency gear extension procedure takes around 30 seconds. This time frame is important because it reflects the balance between allowing the necessary mechanical actions to occur and ensuring that the pilot is able to maintain control of the aircraft while managing the emergency.

Understanding that the emergency extension mechanism often involves manual or alternate hydraulic systems encourages pilots to act swiftly and follow procedure closely to achieve this time frame. In general aviation and commercial operations, knowing the expected time helps pilots make informed decisions regarding the landing gear system during emergency situations. The provided choices reflect common time estimates based on standard training and operational procedures, but 30 seconds strikes the right balance of expectation and safety protocol adherence for emergency cases.