This study presents an integrated decision-support framework for sustainable technology adoption in aviation, demonstrated on lightweight landing-gear architectures. Because aviation decarbonization benefits from structural mass reduction but is constrained by certification readiness, maintainability, and life-cycle cost, the framework combines ISO 14040/44-aligned life-cycle assessment (LCA), life-cycle costing (LCC), and multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) in a transparent, auditable pipeline. Five different landing-gear options are assessed over 10 years, taking into account their effects on operations through a model that weighs mass against fuel use and maintenance performance (like how often issues occur, mean time to repair, and how easily problems can be Uncertainty is managed using Monte Carlo simulation, and close results are verified with PROMETHEE/ELECTRE methods. The results show that A4 (thermoplastic CFRP with titanium wear parts) is the best choice when balancing priorities and focusing on carbon reduction, while A2 (titanium hybrid) is the switch-point analysis, which quantifies mass savings and fuel-price thresholds that drive preference reversals, and a grant–carbon-price frontier highlights actionable policy levers. By considering certification readiness, repairability, corrosion risk, and circularity quality as important factors, the framework supports decision-making across operations, regulations, and purchasing. It can be applied to other aircraft systems in which weight, ease of maintenance, and circularity jointly influence sustainability outcomes.
Arthur Dela Peña (2026) studied this question.