How do planes stop? 3 brake systems explained

Gepubliceerd op 3 juni 2024 om 10:30
Airplane braking

Getting an airplane into the air requires a lot of speed. But how do planes brake? In this blog, you'll discover the three methods planes use to slow down after landing.

The Airbus A320 family and the Boeing 737 family serve as workhorses for the commercial aviation industry. With more than 20,000 of these aircraft built, they dominate the skies.

Each plane weighs around 44 tons when empty. They cruise at an altitude of 11 to 12 km, flying at approximately 820 km/h. But as they approach your destination, the plane needs to slow down. How do they do this exactly?

In the air, the easiest way is to reduce engine power. But when the landing gear touches down on the runway, a plane brakes in three different ways. Which ones?

1. Disc braking:

First, there is disc braking. This system uses disc brakes mounted on the wheels. When the pilot activates these brakes, brake pads press against the rotating discs, causing friction and slowing the plane down.

Disc braking provides a powerful and precise way to reduce speed, but disc braking alone is not enough to bring these narrow-body passenger planes to a complete stop after landing.

Disc braking airplane
Landing gear airplane

2. Spoilers

Second, spoilers slow the plane down. Spoilers are aerodynamic flaps that emerge from the wings of the plane during landing. These raised flaps reduce both speed and lift, the force that keeps the plane up in the air.

When the pilot activates the spoilers, panels rise from the wings. These panels disrupt the airflow, increasing drag and slowing the plane down. Did you know that the upward winglets actually make the plane more aerodynamic? Want to know more? Read: Winglets explained.

Spoilers airplane
airplane brake in the air

3. Reverse thrust:

Third, reverse thrust helps slow the plane down. This braking system is an impressive technique where the thrust of the engines is reversed during landing. When the pilot activates this braking system, the engines blow air forward instead of backward, creating powerful braking force.

This reversed thrust acts as an effective brake and helps the plane slow down quickly on the runway, even in wet weather or on slippery surfaces.

Airplane engine
Reverse thrust

The landing speed of the 737s and A320 family is around 250 km/h. Thanks to the combination of disc braking, reverse thrust, and spoilers, pilots can safely bring these heavy planes to a complete stop. Want to know more about airplane wings? Read: Anti-Icing and De-Icing.


By: Rico Valkenborgh | June 3, 2024


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