Have you ever wondered how fast an airplane flies? Even more, how does a pilot Stop an aircraft on the runway where the runway is limited?
It is everyday physics that if an object is moving at high speed, you need equal and opposite energy to stop it from moving in the same direction or to stop it.
You take the example of a car; when it is moving at high speed, it uses brake pads to stop. Aircraft uses also same method but much more advance.
Aircraft commonly use disk breaks, which use break pads to stop the wheel moving. Sounds like normal car? But that’s not all.
Let’s Explore what kind of breaks are being used in aircraft:
- Disk Breaks: Like Cars, Disk breaks are installed on the aircraft wheels and are used when the aircraft touches the runway to stop the plane from moving. These breaks are used hydraulically, Electrically, or pneumatically.
- Thrust Reversal: As the Name Implies, the Aircraft uses engine thrust on the opposite side to decelerate the plane fast. When the aircraft lands, two flaps come out from the back of the engine, moving the thrust in the opposite direction of the plane to help it stop faster.
- Flaps: Flaps are mainly used to increase the surface area so Aircraft can get more lift while taking off. But it is also getting used as a source of drag while landing the airplane, which helps the pilot to reduce the airplane’s speed.
- Spoilers: Spoilers are metal/composite plates from the top of the wings. As we maintain the aerodynamics of the wings, we can get more lift. Spoilers are used to disturb or disrupt the aerodynamics of the wings. Pilots use spoilers while landing to reduce the aircraft’s speed.
