AS9120B, ISO 9001:2015, and FAA AC 0056B ACCREDITED

What Are Common Aircraft Brake Systems and How Do They Work?

The early days of aviation were quite challenging for a pilot to land safely after a flight as most airplanes used to lack an effective braking system. The invention of the air brake system, alongside other speed reduction systems, made safe landing and take-off possible with conventional aircraft. The science behind the aerodynamic design of aircraft and the need for maintaining minimum drag is to improve performance, but there is also a drawback to this design. Due to the aerodynamic shape, the plane does not slow down quickly when landing. Air brakes, also known as speed brakes, are a type of flight control surface used to maximize drag on the aircraft. The air brakes reduce the speed of an airplane in such a manner that it increases drag without affecting lift during flight. Alongside air brakes, aircraft are often equipped with various braking systems, such as disc brakes, thrust reversers, spoilers, etc. Each of these systems are used depending on the type of support a pilot need when stopping, and they all vary in their functionality. To better understand the aircraft braking systems available to a pilot during typical operations, we will discuss each type and its function. 

Single Disc Brakes

Single disc brakes are primarily used in small and light aircraft, and they are attached to each wheel of the aircraft and rotate alongside them. The application of friction from a non-rotating caliper fitted on both sides of the disc ensures stopping power, and the caliper is bolted onto the landing gear axle flange. After the brakes are applied, the caliper housing has a piston that forces the brake pads against the disc through hydraulic pressure. If the pilot presses the upper halves of the rudder pedals, the master cylinders supply pressure. Generally, two types of single disc brakes are employed in aircraft: floating disc brakes and fixed disc brakes.

Dual Disc Brakes

When the single disc brake fixed on each wheel fails to efficiently supply braking friction, dual disc brakes are used. With such configuration, two discs are fixed to the wheel instead of one, and the center carrier is placed between both discs, both of which have linings on each side. The linings contact each disc while the brakes are applied. The caliper mounting of dual disc brakes comes in the form of long bolts that are mounted through the center carrier and the backplate to connect the assembly.

Multiple Disc Brakes

Multiple disc brake configurations are used in large and heavy aircraft, which usually work with the assistance of a power brake control valve or master cylinders. Like a torque tube type, an extended bearing carrier is fixed to the axle flange to assemble and support multiple brake parts, such as an annular cylinder, piston, and a series of steel discs placed in an alternating configuration with copper or bronze discs, a backplate, and a backplate retainer. Moreover, steel stators are attached to the bearing carrier, and the copper-bronze plated rotors are connected to the rotating wheel. Due to the hydraulic pressure applied to the piston, the entire stator and rotor stack is compressed, which creates a large amount of friction and heat to slow down wheel rotation.

Spoilers

Spoilers are mostly placed on the upper surface of the aircraft wing and disrupt airflow while extending, resulting in maximized drag and minimized lift. Depending on the aircraft type, spoilers usually come in three significant types: ground spoilers, roll spoilers, and speed brakes. All three spoilers are present in some aircraft, such as the Airbus A-320 and the Embraer ERJ 190-100. Meanwhile, an aircraft such as the BA146 only has a ground spoiler. In addition, the design of a few aircraft takes advantage of spoiler panels for secondary functions, like turbulence damping.

Conclusion

Air brakes and other aircraft braking systems are crucial and need much attention for proper functionality during flight. If you are searching for a platform where you can find top-quality hardware parts for procurement, you are on the right page. Alpha Industrial Parts is a leading distributor of NSN, aviation, electronic parts, and more, with an inventory of over 2 billion new, used, obsolete, and hard-to-find hardware components. Owned and operated by ASAP Semiconductor, Alpha Industrial Parts is a premium parts supplier with a NO CHINA SOURCING pledge. We provide our customers with rapid lead times and exceptional cost savings on all items. For more related information, call or email us at your convenience; we will be happy to serve you 24/7x365. If you are looking for any specific part, fill out an RFQ form, and we will call you back within 15 minutes of receiving your request. 


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