What is the role of the limit switch in the landing gear system?

The role of the limit switch in the landing gear system is to stop the mechanism at the full up or down position. Limit switches are essential safety components that ensure the landing gear assembly does not overshoot its intended position. When the landing gear is fully deployed or fully retracted, the limit switch activates and interrupts the mechanism’s action, preventing any further movement. This precisely controlled operation helps maintain the structural integrity of the landing gear and contributes to the overall safety of the aircraft, ensuring that the landing gear is correctly positioned for both takeoff and landing.

In this context, the other options do not accurately describe the role of limit switches. For example, prolonging the landing gear cycle or increasing the speed of gear retraction would not be beneficial to the operation of the landing gear and could introduce risk factors. Enabling manual gear override pertains to a separate function, allowing pilots to control the gear in case of an emergency, but it is not the primary function of the limit switch system.