Backup for dropping the gear

"C J Campbell" wrote in message
...
I suppose you could also run the brakes off the same hydraulic system as
the
gear, too. After all, if the gear fails you won't be needing any brakes.
:-)

Well, actually...the brakes do use the same reservoir for their hydraulic
fluid. But all pressure for the brakes comes from the master brake
cylinders, not the hydraulic pump used for the other three systems. Only a
leak in the hydraulic line between the master and slave cylinders for the
brakes would cause any trouble with the brakes (by emptying out the brake
lines, along with the rest of the hydraulic system).

Again speaking only of light planes, I doubt there are any that use a
hydraulic pump to operate the brakes.

As for whether you'd need the brakes, I guess that depends on whether the
gear fails in the up position, or down.

Pete