Where do fire crews check the temperature of the brakes?
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2004
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From: -
Where do fire crews check the temperature of the brakes?
Hi all,
In the case of an emergency involving heavy use of the brakes, the fire crew can check the brakes/gear. Some fire crew will have IR thermometers to check the heat emanating from the brake units. Where exactly would they check or would they be just scanning all over looking for hot spots?
In the case of an emergency involving heavy use of the brakes, the fire crew can check the brakes/gear. Some fire crew will have IR thermometers to check the heat emanating from the brake units. Where exactly would they check or would they be just scanning all over looking for hot spots?
Joined: Jul 2009
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From: France - mostly
Why on earth would fire fighters want to do that?
They'd better stay clear of the wheels until the fusible plugs have released the tire pressure. Then they'll be alert for smoke and fire. After a high energy stop the brake disks are white-hot, no need to measure the temperature.
They'd better stay clear of the wheels until the fusible plugs have released the tire pressure. Then they'll be alert for smoke and fire. After a high energy stop the brake disks are white-hot, no need to measure the temperature.
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2004
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From: -
Thanks for the reply but it's not quite what I was getting at. It's an esoteric question about brakes and temperatures. Hypothetically, where and how are the brake discs measured accurately? Less from a daily operational perspective and more from an engineering/systems knowledge point of view.
Joined: May 2008
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From: Scotland
Many aircraft have brake temperature indicators in the cockpit - if you can communicate with the crew via a plug in headset they may be able to give you brake temps. If you want to point an IR device at a brake unit do it from in front or rear of the wheel assembly - not from the side. as when a tire lets go that is where most of the fragments go. There will be no hotspot on an individual brake - the rotors and stators are just a large mass of hot steel or carbon.
Joined: Aug 2012
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From: Midlands
In terms of brake temperature testing the fire crews do a quick assessment using a Thermal Imaging Camera to look for any abnormally hot areas which would indicate a fire.
An even heat signature indicates normal operation, a heat signature with heat pattern eminating upwards indicates fire. Fire crews can't normally determine whether a brake unit has overheated - only whether they have overheated to the point of fire
An even heat signature indicates normal operation, a heat signature with heat pattern eminating upwards indicates fire. Fire crews can't normally determine whether a brake unit has overheated - only whether they have overheated to the point of fire
Joined: Jun 2006
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From: Canada
"Where do fire crews check brake temps?" From as far away as possible if they are smart! There is good reason to use "tire cages" when inflateing aircraft tires which run up tp 240PSI, and thats the "cold" temp , even after a normall lading the brake discs will be cherry red. {PS, Brits can change this to "tyres" if they so wish}
Joined: Mar 2008
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From: England
Can we change 'inflateing' to 'inflating' and 'tp' to 'to' and 'lading' to 'landing' and 'normall' to 'normal' too?
Damn, Canadian is worse than American! Oh, I got it - sent from a 'Smart' phone!
Damn, Canadian is worse than American! Oh, I got it - sent from a 'Smart' phone!
Last edited by Momoe; 14th July 2013 at 19:41.
Joined: Nov 2006
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From: UK
if you can communicate with the crew via a plug in headset they may be able to give you brake temps
PPRuNe Person
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From: see roster
On the 747 it takes up to 15 mins for the flight deck indications of brake temps to stabilise to anything meaningful.
Which is why we use brake energy charts.
Which is why we use brake energy charts.
Joined: Jun 2009
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From: Australia
777 doesn't even show actual temperature of the brakes, only units. The higher the unit the hotter the brake. 
1 to 7 I think from memory? Up to about 5 or so on normal landings, anything above that was getting warm!!
1 to 7 I think from memory? Up to about 5 or so on normal landings, anything above that was getting warm!!
Last edited by nitpicker330; 15th July 2013 at 11:31.
Joined: Jan 2008
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From: Desborough
Thankyou Mr Good Cat
Forty years flying and 57 types. I got through it because of a sence of humour and a healthy respect for hot things (including tyres).
Early in my flying career was told of an incident in Africa where a B.O.A.C. Britania or Argonaut's tyre exploded with dire results to people crowded round the wheels.
Early in my flying career was told of an incident in Africa where a B.O.A.C. Britania or Argonaut's tyre exploded with dire results to people crowded round the wheels.
