Here’s a really interesting story of the Boeing 747-8 brake testing and performance, which utilizes 100% worn-out brakes on a 975,000-pound airplane. (That’s almost a million pounds!)
In April, the Boeing Test & Evaluation team brought the 747-8 Freighter to a long runway in California to simulate the ultimate rejected takeoff (RTO). Crews loaded the airplane above its maximum takeoff weight of 975,000 pounds (443,181 kilograms) and installed a set of 100% worn-out brakes.
The kinetic energy from the moving airplane was transferred to the brakes in the form of tremendous heat, estimated to be more than 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit or 1,400 degrees Celsius. As expected, the brakes glowed a bright orange as smoke poured out.
The result? Boeing 747-8 was able to stop within their expected mark by 700 feet.
See the Boeing 747-8 emergency landing test in action:
