It doesn’t pay off to push the limits
By Mike Saathoff - Director of Sales Operations and Engine & Accessory Sales
Although it can get tempting to push the limits of your brakes, regular maintenance can save you a lot of money in the long run. Brakes can often get neglected and the lower the life, the faster the wear. This is especially true when you are close to 10% of your brake wear remaining. The reason being is that when you approach 10%, your brakes deteriorate at a much faster rate than before due to increased heat. This can lead to unusual wear, cracking, and warping that could significantly increase the cost of an overhaul. If your structural components get damaged, the increased cost for overhaul could be as much as 50% and if you get in a beyond economical repair situation, you will have to replace the entire core.
When maintaining brakes, many times an aircraft operator’s focus is on heat packs and they are the only components that get attention. During a brake overhaul, however, not only are the heat pack components changed but the O-rings are changed as well. The brake housing is inspected for cracks and corrosion and treated with a new paint job. Given that the heat pack components are the bulk of the cost of a brake overhaul, addressing the other components regularly will not only extend the life of the brake but keep down the future costs.
Environmental factors to note that tend to accelerate wear include salt and sand. While salt accelerates the wear and causes corrosion, sand will cause uneven wear in your brakes and limit their life. Also, if you have any drag on your brakes during takeoff they can warp due to extreme temperature changes in such a small amount of time.
In addition to inspection during an overhaul, there are several best practices you can do yourself that will help extend the life of your brakes. First and foremost, make sure you are always checking for leaks. If you happen to see hydraulic fluid around your landing gear in the hangar, make sure to have your lines inspected right away. Hydraulic fluid can rapidly break down all non-metallic components of your brake assembly and addressing the leak early can save you greater repairs later. Also, check your wear indicator. Each aircraft manual will have a section that will show you how to do this. It’s quick and easy and will help you better understand how much life you have left in the brakes. You can also easily check the paint on the housing itself to see what kind of condition it is in. A good paint job will help to prevent unnecessary corrosion to components.
About the Author
Mike Saathoff has over 20 years of experience in corporate aircraft maintenance. He has held several service technician and quality control positions with Elliott Aviation and currently serves as the Director of Sales Operations & Engine and Accessory Sales. He has an Airframe and Powerplant and Inspection Authorization license with the FAA. You can email him at msaathoff (at) elliottaviation.com