Soar to New Heights with the 2025 Commercial Pilot License (CPL) Practice Exam – Ready for Takeoff!

The correct answer is the mechanical interlock system. This system is designed specifically to prevent the landing gear from being inadvertently retracted while the aircraft is on the ground. It ensures that the landing gear handle cannot be moved to the retracted position unless certain conditions indicating that the aircraft is airborne are met.

When an airplane is on the ground, the mechanical interlock will physically block the movement of the gear handle or create a condition that would only allow retraction once the aircraft has gained access to airspeed and altitude parameters indicative of flight. This critical safety feature is implemented in various aircraft to reduce the risk of accidents caused by premature landing gear retraction.

The option referencing weight sensors, while related to the overall aircraft safety and configuration, does not specifically serve to prevent accidental retraction of the landing gear but may assist in indicating whether the aircraft is on the ground or airborne. Meanwhile, pressure on the nosewheel could imply weight being on the wheels, but again, it does not serve the explicit function of preventing accidental gear retraction as efficiently as the mechanical interlock. Visual indicators in the cockpit, while useful for providing status information about the landing gear, do not prevent retraction either.