AEROPLANE BRAKES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 48, Issue 85, 20 January 1928, Page 6

AEROPLANE BRAKES.

TRIAL OF NEW SYSTEM. Many attempts have been made' to contrive a brake to reduce the landing lun of aeroplanes. They have; failed, some because they were clumsy or tended to upset the machine, while a sprag near the tail to dig into the* ground has usually failed, either, bv ineffectiveness, or, when effective, by damaging the machine. A new. hubbrake now beinsr tried in England oromises to be a success, in which event a. not uncommon cause of accident would, be almost completely overcome, states r.he aviation correspondent, of the- " Daily Telegraph." Fast machines, or heavy onies of low-resistance,. landing, in a small space or in unfamiliar country, or, through piloting error, hearing, sheds or other obstacles in an aerodrome, are apt to cause or sustain damage through their failure either to stop or to turn aside quickly. Serious accidents have been caused by overturning at a ditch or a hedge. The" new brake acts on the hubs of the landing wheels, and is put on by a<j simple movement of the pilot's foot.. I Care, of course, has to be taken not to put it on hard when "taxi-ing" at high speed. But one great merit of tha brake is that it can be put on either wheel or on both wheels. By putting it on either the left of the right wheel a quick turn is effected, and in an emergency this might profitably be done, even at the risk, of minor damage to the aeroplane; of two evils choosing the lesser.- The contrivance is light and inexpensive; and, although Vj would slightly reduce the "use:fei load," there can be no doubt that for many classes of aeroplanes its inclusion in the equipment would on balar-iee be advantageous.