Description

A braking system works by converting the kinetic energy of a moving aircraft into heat. This heat is generated by friction between the rotating and the stationary components of the brake assemblies and between the rotating tyres and the runway or taxiway. If the amount of heat generated becomes excessive, or if flammable contaminates such as hydraulic fluid or grease are introduced, a brake or undercarriage fire may occur.

Aircraft Design

Brake systems must be designed with sufficient capacity to absorb the amount of kinetic energy that the aircraft type can generate in the worst-case situations. The design must consider and test the following scenarios throughout the defined wear range of the brakes: