Landing Gear: Required Equipment or Unecessary Cost?

Today in Fort Lauderdale a small, twin engine plane made a fatality-free landing after it's landing gear (well...half of it) had fallen off mid-flight (real story). The crew and passengers, shaken and in need of immediate dry-cleaning services, were able to walk away from the landing unaided. While not available for comment, Advantair (the manufacturer of the P-180) is rumored to be considering a budget version of the aircraft that does not feature the "redundant" left wheel. Industry insiders suggest interest from Jet Blue as an additional cost-cutting measure.