Brake Right

Transforming our elegant aerial machines into land vehicles is arguably the single most difficult aspect of flying. Many flight hours are spent practicing approaches and landings, occasionally followed by smooth deceleration to a safe, controlled stop. Brakes help make this possible, but if you ignore or abuse them they can bite back in a most spiteful way. The brakes in most general aviation airplanes involve relatively simple systems, but theyre not as robust as an automobiles. For one thing, most personal airplanes arent equipped with an anti-lock brake system. For another, automobile brake components are larger, heavier and more powerful. Yet, we often find ourselves in an airplane on or near the ground traveling at highway speeds. And, like so many tasks associated with aviation, theres also a right and wrong way to use an airplanes brakes. Lets start with how to inspect them.

Key Takeaways:

• General aviation aircraft brakes are less robust than automotive systems and require careful use and thorough inspection to ensure safety during ground operations.
• Wheel fairings (wheel pants) often obstruct proper pre-flight visual inspections of critical brake components, creating a safety challenge that manufacturers are attempting to address.
• Improper pilot technique, such as over-reliance on differential braking with castering nosewheels or excessive braking after an unstable approach, can lead to dangerous situations like brake overheating, fires, or runway overruns.

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