Electric braking debuts in military and commercial applications

SAE 100 Future look: Goodrich led the development of electromechanical aircraft braking with a highly focused team of experts from three divisions within the company, each working in their own fields of expertise: braking performance, electronic controls, and electromechanical actuators (EAs).

The maturity of Goodrich's technology has led both Boeing and Northrop Grumman to select electric braking systems controlled by digital electronics for new aircraft in both the civil and military markets.

The electric braking system for the Northrop Grumman RQ-4B Global Hawk consists of innovative actuation systems combined with Goodrich's carbon braking technology to provide optimized braking performance. The Global Hawk braking system is the first fully integrated, electrically actuated brake and brake control system to be put into production by Goodrich. Functions of the system include autobrake control, differential braking control, antiskid protection, and built-in test capability for continuous monitoring of the system condition. The Global Hawk aircraft equipped with the Goodrich electric braking system will begin flight tests in early 2006.