Do Jets Use Antilock Brakes for Takeoff?

Airline first officer says there’s actually no need for them due to aerodynamic forces.

Meg Godlewski

Wednesday, October 29, 2025 at 09:34 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Boeing workers position fans to cool the 777X's wheels and brakes after testing. [Credit: Boeing/Paul Weatherman]

Key Takeaways:

Keeping a jet's nosewheel straight on takeoff is managed using rudder and slight aileron, not brakes, leveraging aerodynamic pressure.
Jets are equipped with antilock brakes, known as locked wheel protection, to prevent individual wheels from locking.
Aircraft also feature autobrakes with multiple settings, including a mandatory Rejected Takeoff (RTO) setting for every takeoff, which pilots often utilize.

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Question: Do jets have antilock brakes to keep the speed and the nosewheel straight at takeoff speed?

Answer: According to one of the CFIs I trained who is now a first officer at an airline, keeping the nosewheel straight on takeoff doesn’t relate to brakes at all. The airplane just needs a little rudder and very slight aileron to track centerline. So because there is so much aerodynamic pressure keeping the airplane straight, a little rudder pressure does the trick.