BRAKE SYSTEMS

Patrick
 OBJECTIVE:
• AT THE END OF THE LESSON,THE STUDENT
SHOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE A BASIC
UNDERSTANDING OF A/C BRAKING.
 SCOPE :
• (A) INTRODUCTION
• (B) TYPES OF BRAKE SYSTEMS
• (D) TYPES OF BRAKE ASSEMBLIES
(C) ANTSKID SYSTEM
 INTRODUCTION
• Stopping an aircraft requires the rapid
dissipation of kinetic energy. The energy is
dissipated by conversion to heat energy in the
wheel braking system and by being used to do
work against applied loads.
• General braking is achieved by use of
drag(flaps, spoilers, airbrakes), reverse thrust
devices, propeller reverse pitch, brake
parachutes and arrester wires.
 CONT’D
• Most aircrafts are equipped with hydraulically
operated disc brakes although drum brakes are
sufficiently effective for light aircraft.
• Both types can be operated either
mechanically, hydraulically or pneumatically.
• Mechanical brakes are found on only a few of
the older, small airplanes.
• Nowadays hydraulic actuation has become
universal.
 AIRCRAFT BRAKE SYSTEMS:
-Brakes are installed in each main landing gear
and may be actuated independently.

FUNCTIONS:- the purposes of a brake unit are to :-

• slow

• stop- the brakes are designed such that they

must develop sufficient force to stop the aircraft in a
reasonable distance.

• hold- hold the aircraft for normal engine

running.

• steer- permit steering of the aircraft on ground

 TYPES OF BRAKE SYSTEMS:

• There are three types of brake systems in general use:-

1.Independent systems
2.Power control systems
3.Power boost systems

1.INDEPENDENT SYSTEMS:- are used in small aircrafts.

• This type of brake system is termed “independent” because it
has its own reservoir and is entirely independent of the aircraft’s
main hydraulic system.
• Are powered by master cylinders similar to those used in the
automobile.
The system is
composed of a
reservoir, one or two
master cylinders,
mechanical linkage
which connects each
master cylinder with
its corresponding
brake pedals, connecting
fluid lines, and a
brake assembly in each main landing gear wheel.
OPERATION:- Each master cylinder is actuated by toe
pressure on its related pedal.

• The master cylinder builds up pressure by the

movement of a piston inside a sealed, fluid-filled
cylinder

• The resulting hydraulic pressure is transmitted to the

fluid line connected to the brake assembly in the wheel.

• This results in the friction necessary to stop the wheel.

• When the brake pedal is released the master cylinder piston is
returned to the “off” position by a return spring.

• Fluid that was moved into the brake assembly is pushed back to
the master cylinder by a piston in the brake assembly.

• The brake assembly piston is returned to the “off” position by a

return spring in the brake assembly.
HAND OPERATED:-
• Some light aircraft are equipped with a single master cylinder which is hand-lever operated
and applies brake action to both main wheels simultaneously.

2.POWER BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEM:

• Power brake control valve systems are used on aircraft requiring a large volume of fluid to
operate the brakes.
• As a general rule this applies to many large aircrafts.
REASONS:- Because of their weight and size, large wheels and
brakes are required.

• Large brakes means greater fluid displacement and higher

pressure, and for this reason independent master cylinder systems
are not practical on heavy aircraft.

• In this system a line is tapped off from the main hydraulic system
pressure line.

• Special power brake control valves are incorporated to produce

the amount of pressure the pilot wants at the brake.
 • Brakes which use the aircraft hydraulic system must
have an emergency backup that will provide braking
action in the event of hydraulic system failure.

• One of the latest developments in brake

actuation methods is that of automatic braking.

• This works in conjunction with the antiskid

system, but controls the brake pressure to
provide a constant rate of deceleration on the
landing roll.
3.POWER BOOST BRAKE SYSTEM:

• As a general rule, power boost brake system are

used on aircrafts that land too fast to employ the
independent brake system, but are too light in weight
to require power brake control valve.

• Main system pressure is used to assist the pedals

through the use of power boost master cylinders.
• When the brake pedals are pressed, fluid for
actuating the brakes is routed from the power boost
master cylinders through the shuttle valves to brakes.

• When the brake pedals are released, the main system

pressure port in the master cylinder is closed.

• Fluid that was moved into the brake assembly is

forced out the return.
 BRAKE ASSEMBLIES:
• The brake systems of aircrafts serves the same
purpose even though there are a variety of designs.
• Brake assemblies used on aircraft are:-
1.The single-disk,
2.Dual-disk,
3.Multiple-disk,
4.Expander tube types.

•1&2. Single and dual-disk types are commonly used

on small aircrafts whose brakes are used primarily as a
maneuvering device and which do not require the
dissipation of great amounts of kinetic energy.
• 3.Multiple-disk brakes are used on large aircrafts
whose brakes must dissipate tremendous amounts of
kinetic energy when they are required to stop the
aircraft after an aborted takeoff.

1.SINGLE-DISK BRAKE:-
Consists of a steel disk
keyed to the wheel and
brake linings arranged
so they can apply
pressure to both sides
of the disk when
hydraulic pressure is
applied to brake pistons.
Single-disk brake assembly Single-disk brake unit
• It will be noted that stationary and movable brake
linings are placed on opposite sides of the disk so the
disk will be gripped between the linings when force is
applied to the movable lining.( braking is
accomplished by applying friction to both sides of the
rotating disk).

2.DUAL-DISK:- used on aircraft when more braking

friction is desired.

• The dual-brake is very similar to the single-disk

type, except that two rotating disks instead of one are
used.
3.MULTIPLE-DISK BRAKES:- are heavy-duty brakes,
designed for power brake control valves or power boost
master cylinders.

• The brake consist of rotating disks called rotors , stationary

disks called stators, a circular actuating cylinder or a
number of individual pistons arranged in a circle such that
their radial distances from the axle are equal.

• The rotors are keyed to the

wheel and rotate with the wheel.
• Hydraulic pressure forces the annular piston or
individual pistons to compress the rotating disks, and
compress the stationary disks, are keyed to the bearing
carrier.

• The resulting friction causes a braking action on the

wheel and tire assembly.
 • individual pistons arranged in a circle such that
their radial distances from the axle are equal.
Multiple-disk brake assemblies
 ANTSKID SYSTEM:

• INTRODUCTION:- Power brake systems provide the pilot with all of the
control he needs for aircraft in which each brake pedal controls but a single wheel.

• But as touchdown speeds have increased and the streamlined design of the
airplanes demands smaller wheels and, multiple wheels are being used on each
landing gear.

• Pilot has no way of preventing some of his wheels skidding when he

encounters wet or icy runways.
Antiskid systems have been developed to give the
pilot the maximum brake effectiveness on any runway
surface when he depresses the brake pedals to call for
maximum braking.

• It is a feature found in high performance aircraft

braking system for skid control or antiskid protection.

• This is an important system because if a wheel goes

into skid, its braking value is greatly reduced.
FUNCTIONS:- the skid control system performs FOUR
functions:-
1. normal skid control
2. locked wheel skid control
3. touchdown protection
4. failsafe protection.
1.NORMAL SKID CONTROL:- normal skid control
comes into play when wheel rotation slows down but
has not come to a stop.

• When this slowing down happens,the wheel sliding

action has just began but has not reached a full scale
slide.

• In this situation the valve removes some of the

hydraulic pressure to the wheel.
• This permits the wheel to rotate a little faster and stop its sliding.

• The skid detection and control of each wheel is completely

independent of the others.

2.LOCKED WHEEL SKID CONTROL:- this causes the brake to be

fully released when its wheel locks.

• A locked wheel easily occurs on a patch of ice due to lack of tyre

friction with the surface.
• To release a locked wheel, the pressure is bled off
longer than in normal skid function.
This is to give the wheel time to regain speed.
• The locked wheel skid control is out of action
during aircraft speeds of less than 15-20 mph.

3.TOUCH DOWN PROTECTION:-touch down

protection circuit prevents the brakes from being
applied during the landing approach even if the brake
pedals are depressed.
• This prevents the wheels from being locked when
they contact the runway.
• The wheels have a chance to begin rotating before
they carry the full weight of the aircraft.

• Two conditions must exist before the skid control

valves permit brake application.

• Without them the skid control box will not send the
proper signal to the valve solenoids.

• the first is that the squat switch must signal that

the weight of the aircraft is on the wheels.
-the second is that the wheel generators sense a wheel speed of over 15-20
mph.

4.FAIL-SAFE PROTECTION:- the fail-safe protection circuit monitors

operation of the skid control system.

• It automatically returns the brake system to full manual in case of system

failure.

• It also turns on a warning light.

 MAIN COMPONENTS:

Consists of:-
• electronic control box,
• four -wheel-sensors transducers,
• four dual-servo valves,
• four failure-indicating lights and
• system arming switch.
SKID CONTROL GENERATOR:- is the unit that
measures the wheel rotational speed.
• It also senses any changes in the rotational speed.

• It is a small electrical
generator, one for each
Wheel, mounted in the
wheel axle.

•As it rotates, the generator

develops a voltage and currents signal.
• This signal is fed to the skid control box through the
harness.
SKID CONTROL BOX:- the box reads the signal from
the generator and senses change in signal strength.

• It can interpret these as

developing skids, locked
wheels, brake applications,
and brake releases.

• It analyses all it reads, then

sends appropriate signals from
the skid control box actuate the solenoids.
SKID CONTROL VALVES:- are mounted on the brake
control valve are solenoid operated.

• Electric signals from the skid

control box actuate the solenoids.

• If there is no signal (because

there is no wheel skidding), the
skid control valve will have no
effect on brake operation.
-But, if a skid develops, either slight or serious, a
signal is sent to the skid control valve and the brake
cylinders.

-It does so by dumping fluid into the reservoir return

line whenever the solenoid is energized.

PILOT CONTROL:- the pilot can turn off the switch

in the antiskid system by a switch in the cockpit.

-A warning lamp light when the system is turned off

or if there is a system failure.
• Q&A
 END:

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