Electrification of Braking Systems on an Electric Regional Aircraft

Abstract

The aviation industry is moving toward "more-electric" aircrafts to improve efficiency, reduce complexity, and lower overall system weight. Companies like Heart Aerospace are leading this transition by developing regional hybrid-electric aircraft, where traditionally hydraulic or mechanical systems are being replaced by electrically actuated alternatives to enhance sustainability and adaptivity to new power trains.

This thesis investigates the feasibility of replacing conventional centralized hydraulic braking systems with electrically actuated, brake-by-wire systems in regional turboprop aircrafts. Electrically actuated brakes offer the potential for weight reduction, improved modularity, and simplified system integration. A structured design approach was applied using the Double Diamond framework to generate, evaluate, and refine multiple braking system architectures in line with stringent aerospace requirements.

The most promising concepts were sized based on performance requirements, and their behavior was modeled and simulated under various runway conditions, including integration with anti-skid braking functionality. Additionally, an economic and energy impact assessment was conducted for implementing an electric taxiing motor, considering energy savings, motor and propeller efficiency, and taxi duration.

Results suggest that a federated electro-hydraulic system could provide the required braking performance while maintaining redundancy and enabling future integration of advanced controllers. The findings support the potential for transitioning to more-electric braking solutions in future regional aircrafts.