Park Brake issue

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Davestation
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Re: Park Brake issue

Post by Davestation »

I don’t think anybody is talking about using the parking brake in flight or taxi. They can’t get it to release when they want to pull the plane out of the hangar.
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Pehu
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Re: Park Brake issue

Post by Pehu »

Posting a bit on this older thread.

My DA62 hasn't experienced parking brake issues for the first 1.5 years but now this has happened twice already. Luckily both of the times the plane has been on home base and maintenance is on the field, but it has stopped us from flying. I dont want to think if this happens when on some remote field...

Any news/update how this can be fixed so it doesnt happen again?
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Ed McDonald
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Re: Park Brake issue

Post by Ed McDonald »

An unofficial fix for this is to install a piece of tubing over the Bowden Cable. The issue is when the parking brake lever is pushed in against without releasing the brake by stepping on them, the Bowden Cable gets a kink and your are going nowhere. The tubing prevents the kinking.
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Re: Park Brake issue

Post by janders »

From what I've learned, the parking brake is a one way check valve on the hydraulic lines to the brake caliper. So to use it, you must pressurize the line after applying the brake.

When I first used my parking brake, I just applied the parking brake without pushing the toe brakes. I then suspect that when I noticed the airplane rolling and quickly stomped on the brakes, I over pressurized the line, making it very hard to manipulate the value to release the pressure in the lines.

Now, I just apply the parking brake lever and press the pedals with a normal amount of force and haven't had any issues when it's time to release the parking brake lever.
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Re: Park Brake issue

Post by Boatguy »

N157DA wrote: Mon Feb 06, 2023 10:08 pm From what I've learned, the parking brake is a one way check valve on the hydraulic lines to the brake caliper. So to use it, you must pressurize the line after applying the brake.

When I first used my parking brake, I just applied the parking brake without pushing the toe brakes. I then suspect that when I noticed the airplane rolling and quickly stomped on the brakes, I over pressurized the line, making it very hard to manipulate the value to release the pressure in the lines.

Now, I just apply the parking brake lever and press the pedals with a normal amount of force and haven't had any issues when it's time to release the parking brake lever.
That's exactly how I set the brake. Flip the parking brake lever and pump a little pressure into the brakes.

But this sticking problem seems to have plagued more than one pilot. It's not clear if it's a problem with the procedure, or a problem with the design or parts.
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Ed McDonald
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Re: Park Brake issue

Post by Ed McDonald »

When I spoke with Tech Support after my parking brake event, they said that an AFM amendment was coming out that details the procedure to set and release the brake. Specifically, to release the brake, apply brake pressure then push the lever downwards. When I had my event, I released the brakes from outside the aircraft by reaching into the cockpit.

Since then I have been reluctant to use the parking brake for fear of having the same locked brake event despite the "unofficial" modification made to the Bowden Cable. I was lucky that my event occurred outside my hangar and I was able to get some tools and disassemble the brake. If one were to set the parking brake prior to a runway threshold and it failed to release, you would be really unpopular, really fast if you blocked the entrance and exit to a runway.
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Re: Park Brake issue

Post by Boatguy »

In thinking about it, I'm usually in the cockpit, feet on the brakes when I release the brakes, but not always. I've flicked it to release after connecting to the tug. In any case, adding pressure before releasing is an easy work around.
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Re: Park Brake issue

Post by Pehu »

So, basically, IF it happens again, the fix is to disassembly part of the center console where the lever is and straighten the cable? Not super willing to start doing such thing but I guess, if stuck on remote airfield, this is an option too to consider? Sending the technician to the field could potentially become quite costly.
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Ed McDonald
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Re: Park Brake issue

Post by Ed McDonald »

Once you have kinked the cable, there is no straightening it out without it kinking again. Perhaps if you put a tube over the original cable to prevent it from kinging, otherwise you are into a new cable.
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Re: Park Brake issue

Post by VickersPilot »

Any reason there is not an SB to apply a known fix?
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