Toe or heel brakes?

Richard Mole · Post by **Richard Mole** » Sun Sep 11, 2011 11:14 pm

I am thinking through the pros & cons of toe and heel operated brakes and would like to hear from those with subsantial experience of both.

Most of my experience is with aircraft where aplying full rudder will apply differential brake (Chipmunk, D18) plus a 'fly-off' style handbrake mainly used for parking. These are excellent systems but weight and complexity precludes use in my new project (which has adjustable pedal positions).

So don't be shy! Given a free choice, would you prefer an aircraft equipped with heel or with toe brakes (the other options are not on the agenda here).

And please give your reasons.

Tom Sheppard · Post by **Tom Sheppard** » Mon Sep 12, 2011 4:41 pm

Toe. The ankle movement is more natural and therefore the brakes can be controlled with greater finesse.
Somebody else will be along in a few minutes to explain why I'm wrong.

Trevor Harvey · Post by **Trevor Harvey** » Mon Sep 12, 2011 8:14 pm

Tom Sheppard wrote:Toe. The ankle movement is more natural and therefore the brakes can be controlled with greater finesse.
Somebody else will be along in a few minutes to explain why I'm wrong.

Absolutely correct.
My Emeraude has heel brakes & they are an abomination. I am always fearful of turning it over

Brian Hope · Post by **Brian Hope** » Mon Sep 12, 2011 9:17 pm

Agree, toe brakes are much more natural to use. On the Jodel the toe brakes are inboard of the rudder pedals but I can use the inside of my foot to operate the brake and by twisting my foot still use the outside to operate the rudder, thus getting rudder and brake in tricky crosswind situations. I actually prefer that to brakes that come on at maximum rudder pedal travel. Is a 'modern' style toe brake hinged off the top of the ridder pedal not a possibility Richard?

tnowak · Post by **tnowak** » Tue Sep 13, 2011 8:10 am

I also agree. Toe brakes feel much more "natural" than heel operated.
Tony Nowak

Richard Mole · Post by **Richard Mole** » Tue Sep 13, 2011 12:07 pm

Thanks to all for your advice. Toe brakes were also much the preferred choice from the most experienced membersof my local Strut. So toe braks it will be.

Yep Brian, I am now scheming up a toe brake pedal that articulates from the top of the rudder pedal. Clearance from the firewall is one of the considerations but I notice that some RVs (and other types) seem to have the toe brake pedal in its brakes-off position slightly angled toward the pilot as compared to the rudder pedal. Then full rudder with simultaneous braking does not result in any confliction with the firewall. Also I hope to arrange matters so that shoe presure on the rudder pedal will positively hold the brake pedal extension in the brakes-off position, unless the toe is deliberately used to apply brake. I think it should also help if I arrange for relatively small angular deflections of the brake pedal to provide maximum braking action. Wish me luck! I don't want to kangaroo down the runway in a cross-wind becase the set-up is so awkward to use. But its a tough call to get things right first time around and so I also hope to leave some room for fine tuning of the geometry should that be necessary.

Rob Swain · Post by **Rob Swain** » Tue Sep 13, 2011 12:14 pm

Well, you're all wrong!

My RV-6 has toe brakes and I'm often not quite certain how much of a turn is rudder/tailwheel and how much is brake. Maybe later RVs with the top hinged rudder pedal arrangement are better, but I wouldn't know about that, my pedals are early ones, fixed to the floor.
Why does it matter whether the rudder or the brakes are turning you? Wet grass and other 'uncertain' surfaces when I absolutely want to stay off the brakes until very, very slow.

My lovely old Luscombe had heel brakes which I will admit took a little getting used to (you wonder if your ankles will ever bend that way!) but once used to them I felt far more in control, having absolute certainty whether I was differential braking or rudder/tailwheel turning.

Maybe having always been a tailwheel flyer makes me more aware of brakes than nosewheel jockeys. The prospect of touching down with some brake applied in a taildragger is not a pleasant one.

Mark A · Post by **Mark A** » Tue Sep 13, 2011 8:38 pm

I agree to an extent with Rob's comment. I've only flown 3 or 4 heel brake machines of which the Cub (J3) was the easiest to use. The Chippy and Jodels with the differential braking at end of travel works fine if correctly set up, but reaching for the handle to get combined braking isn't ideal.
I always make a 'heels on floor' check for take-off and landing to avoid inadvertant use of brake. It helps if they are configured so that you positively have to raise your toes to apply the brakes. Having a pedal block on the base of the pedal can help in that respect. There are some Van's mods that address that issue.

merlin · Post by **merlin** » Wed Sep 14, 2011 8:43 am

Rob Swain wrote:The prospect of touching down with some brake applied in a taildragger is not a pleasant one.

Depends on the system as Mark A. says the Chipmunk style of differential works well when clicked in for a crosswind.

Also depends on geometry setup and in some cases the strength of braking setup. Must say that all the toe brakes I have flown have worked naturally with no concerns. The same cannot be said for heel brakes but I imagine that like all systems familiarity will eventually win one over.

Either way brakes are for primarily for taxying and coming to a stop at dispersal aren't they.

Rob Swain · Post by **Rob Swain** » Wed Sep 14, 2011 4:16 pm

merlin wrote:Either way brakes are for primarily for taxying and coming to a stop at dispersal aren't they.

The ones in my Luscombe were for power checks, spinning around in its own length, and occasional gentle use for ground-loop avoidance!

For everything else there's airmanship and a steering tailwheel.

Mark A wrote:I always make a 'heels on floor' check for take-off and landing to avoid inadvertant use of brake.

I had to learn this for the RV too. The only issue then is then having to slide up the pedals when braking is necessary, rather than just moving one's heels inward by an inch or two.