You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who likes abrupt stops. It’s relatively normal on a bike, worrisome in a car, and just plain old dangerous on a plane. But, surprisingly, airplanes didn’t always have brakes. In the early days of aviation, when the Wright Brothers had just stunned the world with their first sustained flight in a heavier-than-air contraption, there were no brake systems; slower speeds and skidding to a gradual stop were the norm. Fortunately, that’s the no longer the case due to the advancements in aviation made during WWI.
In general, aircraft brake systems have mechanical and/or hydraulic linkages connected to the rudder pedals, allowing the pilot to control the brakes. Pushing the right rudder pedal activates the right main wheel brake, while the left rudder pedal activates the left main wheel brake. The entire process converts kinetic energy of motion into heat energy via friction. Common aircraft brakes include the single disc, floating disc, and fixed disc brakes.
- Single disc brakes are typically used on smaller, lighter aircraft. They work via applying friction by pressing wearable brake pads to both sides of the disc from a non-rotating caliper bolted to the landing gear axle flange.
- Floating disc brakes have their brake discs keyed to the wheel but are free to move laterally in the key slots, hence the name “floating”. When the brakes are applied, pistons are forced to move out from the outboard cylinders and their pucks contact the disc. This causes the disc to slide in the key slots, causing the inboard stationary pucks to also contact the disc, resulting in a fairly even distribution of friction on each side.
- Fixed disc brakes work similarly to the floating disc, but instead of being allowed to “float”, the disc is bolted rigidly to the wheel and instead the brake caliper and linings are allowed to “float”.
- Other brakes include dual-disc, multiple disc, segmented rotor, carbon brakes, expander tube brakes, etc.
Most brakes, like the ones described above, use hydraulic power to operate, so they require brake actuating systems to deliver the required hydraulic fluid pressure to the brake assemblies. There are three basic brake actuating systems: an independent system separate from the aircraft’s main hydraulic system; a booster system that uses the aircraft’s main hydraulic system when necessary; and a power brake system that uses only the aircraft’s main hydraulic system. While they vary from model to model, they all operate based on the same principles.
Emergency and anti-skid brakes are another common concept that we can’t imagine living without today but didn’t exist until recently. These are used as added assurance that an aircraft comes to a stop when need be. These generally come with their own backup power supply and actuating system.
And of course, for even more added safety, aircraft brake systems and assemblies are subject to rather frequent and rigorous inspection, maintenance, and repair schedules. Because brake assemblies are typically composed of many different rotables, consumables, and expendables, each with different lifespans, everything needs to be checked properly and on-time.
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Have you ever looked at a flight map and wondered why the route isn’t a straight shot? Well, there’s a very good explanation for this. It’s actually faster for aircraft to fly the great circle route than a straight-line route because of the circumference of the earth. The circumference of the earth is much greater at the equator than it is near the poles which effects flight patterns and routes. Maps are only two dimensional, but actual travel is three-dimensional; this leaves for a lot of confusion from passengers who can only see the map in front of them. Arc travel is the shortest path between two locations on a sphere, which is why airlines prefer this trajectory. This type of travel saves airlines money because it uses less fuel and because it’s less time an airline employee needs to be paid. Airlines are also able to sell more tickets when flights are shorter because customers prefer to get to their destination faster.
Maintenance can also cause a huge delay in aircraft travel. If a plane requires maintenance in between scheduled flight, it is important to make sure the work is done in a timely manner to prevent delays. Other factors that impact aircraft travel and speed include, maintenance issues, weather conditions, and the amount of aircraft flying in the air at any given time. Meteorological conditions such as strong winds from hurricanes, storms, and tornados could lead to flight re-routes, resulting in longer flights and strange flight patterns. Typically, there are over five thousand commercial aircraft flying at one time. The volume of aircraft in-flight can impact the route of travel as well as the time of travel. Air traffic control has to coordinate each and every one of them to make sure they’re all flying safely. Travel time can be increased based on flight patterns and airport strip landing availability— not every plane can take off or land at the same time. To ensure aircraft maintenance is completed in a timely matter, Aerospace Aviation 360 should be your first and only stop for all your aircraft spare parts.
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In the realm of aerospace and aviation, maintenance and repairs are crucial. Replacing one part can involve many tools. And considering the fast-paced and demanding nature of aerospace and aviation, it might be a good idea to at least get a grasp of the basics. Hammers, screwdrivers, pliers, punches, wrenches, and impact drivers are just a few of the hand tools you can expect to use as a mechanic or technician.
Occasionally it becomes necessary to use a hammer or a mallet to form soft metals and strike surfaces that are otherwise easily damaged. However, instead of using a metal hammer, technicians and mechanics will often use a soft-faced hammer or a mallet made of hickory, rawhide, or rubber. When choosing a hammer mallet, make the handle is tight and that the face is smooth and free of dents, chips, or gouges.
Screwdrivers only have one purpose, loosening or tightening a screw or screw head bolt. In the aerospace and aviation industry, screw heads and sizes vary so much on a single aircraft that many different types of screwdrivers may be necessary. And since using the wrong shape or size screwdriver can cause irreparable damage to the screw and the surrounding area, it becomes very important to not use the wrong one. Because having many different screwdrivers just creates unnecessary clutter, technicians and mechanics have the option of using a replaceable tip or “10 in 1” screwdrivers, ones that allow for quick changing and easy replacement of the tip.
Wrenches are another important tool, used to turn rotary fasteners such as nuts and bolts. Like screwdrivers, there are many different wrenches for the many different kinds of nuts and bolts an aircraft might use. And like screwdrivers, using the wrong wrench on the wrong nut or bolt can be disastrous. Wrenches can be open-end, box-end, socket, adjustable, ratcheting, or special.
At Aerospace Aviation 360, owned and operated by ASAP Semiconductor, we know how important it is for our customers to be able to deal with their MROs and AOGs quickly and efficiently. So, as a premier supplier of aerospace and aviation parts, we made sure that we have everything our customers need, from engine parts and avionics to the tools they’ll use on them. For more information, visit us at www.aerospace-aviation360.com or call us at +1-414-212-0606
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Aerospace, aircraft, and aeronautics are industries that are inherently innovative, pioneering new technologies and streamlining production constantly. On that note, there are still many ways these industries can optimize but probably have yet to think of. Valley Box Co. from San Diego, CA compiled a list of a few such ways.
But also cause a lot of physical strain on the worker. Instead of using various aircraft tooling equipment to position landing gear by hand, using one ergonomic tooling positioner with built-in assistance would take the strain off workers. By fitting the equipment to the task and the user, industries can lower accident rates and workers compensation rates. Implementing multi-tool systems could also help, as combining two or more functions into one tool makes it easier to streamline work.
Another area that frequently hinders aerospace industry manufacturers is the clutter. Aircraft and general electric tooling parts and equipment can be numerous; when they clutter the floors and other work areas, they can cause workers undue strain and affect productivity. But using things such as in-house build stands and stackable sub-assembly tooling fixtures to declutter and utilize vertical airspace can ameliorate these issues.
Industries like aerospace face unique challenges as they try to pioneer new technologies and streamline pre-existing ones. However, if they do not do simple things such tailor their tooling equipment to the task and proactively try to maintain workspaces, then they cannot streamline production or protect their bottom dollar.
Aerospace Aviation 360, owned and operated by ASAP Semiconductor, should always be your first and only stop for all your hard to find aerospace parts. Aerospace Aviation 360 is your premier online distributor of whether new, old or hard to find, they can help you locate aircraft tooling parts and general electric tooling parts. Aerospace Aviation 360 has a wide selection of parts to choose from and is fully equipped with a friendly staff, so you can always find what you’re looking for, at all hours of the day. If you’re interested in obtaining a quote, contact us at sales@aerospace-aviation360.com or call us at +1-412-212-0606.
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When working in the procurement industry for aircraft it is imperative to know the various condition terms and codes to be able to reference and identify the parts. This allows for clear communication of the quality of parts to be bought and sold to the customers. We will go over the terminology and some codes to better identify the parts.
There are five different ways to assess the condition of the part, the first one is “new condition”, meaning the part is brand new from the factory and has appropriate codes to prove it. O.E.M. (Original Equipment Manufacturer) or 8130 trace which is the most qualified because it is identified as being straight from the manufacturer. Without explanation, the new condition should be self-explanatory and is the most ideal condition for a part but could be costly due to the O.E.M certification or 8130 traces. There are a couple of ways the industry abbreviates “new condition” is NE (new) or FN (factory new).
The next is “new surplus”, meaning the part is brand new however it does not have the O.E.M trace but will come with a C.O.C. (Certificate of Conformance) or ATA106 by the company. This means that it will be slightly cheaper than the new conditioned part due to the lesser value of the certification. The new surplus is often abbreviated as NS.
An “overhauled” unit is a part that was taken off an aircraft. Once the part is taken off it is sent to an FAA Authorized 145 repair station to have cleaned, inspected, and repaired as required. The repairing station will do their best to make the part look as close to what it once was by changing the internal pieces and do restorative work. Once this is done it will acquire the 145-trace as proof that the part was worked on and is in working condition. An Overhauled unit is often abbreviated OH.
A “serviceable” unit is like an overhauled unit as it was taken off an aircraft. The difference is that the part may not look the best as it will not be cosmetically modified or cleaned but is tested to fulfill its function. In the case that there is an issue in the part, the part will be fixed however otherwise it will be just as is. The serviceable part is often sought after due to the cost difference, for it will be a working part without needing to pay for a new or overhauled price. A serviceable unit is abbreviated SV or RP (repaired).
Finally, the “as removed” part which is the lowest condition on the market. The as removed condition means that the part was taken from the aircraft for a variety of reasons. Some reasons could be that the aircraft was being torn down due to an airplane accident or maybe a malfunction in the part. It is not the most qualified part but it is often times the cheapest. These types of parts can be sent to be repaired however there is no guarantee that it will. And the removed unit is abbreviated AR.
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