Early deployment
Once at TOD for Urumqi (Xinghiang) the IL 86 extended the gear prior decending . Guess for an extra help for drag regardless icing fears or speeds limits (wich I m not aware )
another occasion it was clear to me that our Singapore Ailine 747 has been called to loose altitude very quicky so they lowered the gear much early than ususal (10 miles in stable aproach are like 5 minutes from contact) the vibration was amazing and just when we were floating in gound effect I head the next flap setting!!! followed by a change of CG (nose down) and the expected suddern big BUM! of the landing gear to the tarmac. we stopped without events but you could smell the brakes when we disimbarked the ship
cheers!