Hydraulic Fundamentals
AVIT 328
Lesson Content
•Why is This Important?
•Basic Hydraulic System
•Hydraulic Fluids and Types
•Small Aircraft System Example – Cessna 172
•Small Aircraft System Example – Piper Seminole
•Transport Category Aircraft Examples
•Control Surfaces
•Types of Pumps
•Boeing 737 Simplified Schematic
•Controls and Displays
•Case Study
•Conclusion
(AMT-Airframe Vol 2, p. 12-6)
Why is This Important?
• Hydraulic systems provide pressure to move
or actuate systems such as brakes or landing
gear on small aircraft and numerous
additional flight control surfaces on larger
aircraft.
• Hydraulics provided a high power-to-weight
ratio, meaning they allow for a significant
amount of force given the amount of system
weight added to the aircraft structure.
Photo: N. Wilson
Basic Hydraulic System
Image: (PHAK/FAA, 2016)
(AMT Vol 2/FAA, 2018, p. 12-2)
Hydraulic Fluids
• There are several different types of hydraulic fluids and
could be colored red, purple or green.
• “To assure proper system operation and to avoid
damage to nonmetallic components of the hydraulic
system, the correct fluid must be used.” (FAA AMT-
Airframe, 12-3)
• There are three general categories of hydraulic fluid:
– Mineral-based (MIL5606) – Common older formula, more fire risk.
– Polyalphaolefins (MIL-H-83282) – More fire resistant, higher viscosity at
lower temperatures
– Phosphate esters – More common in transport category aircraft. Image: MIL5606-A Aircraft Spruce
• E.g. “Skydrol” or “HyJet”
Hydraulic Fluid – Intermix of Types?
• With few exceptions, hydraulic fluid types should not be intermixed due to
compatibility of seals or chemical composition of the fluids.
• “Should an aircraft hydraulic system be serviced with the wrong type fluid,
immediately drain and flush the system and maintain the seals according to the
manufacturer’s specifications.” (FAA AMT – Airframe, 12-3)
SMALL AIRCRAFT HYDRAULIC SYSTEMS
Basic Hydraulic System
Image: (PHAK/FAA, 2016)
• A basic hydraulic system requires the following elements.
• A pump or source of pressure (many possible designs)
• A reservoir for storing and supplying hydraulic fluid.
• Supply lines which allow fluid and pressure to move.
• Selector valves to allow pressure to flow one direction or
another.
• A hydraulic actuator or servo.
• Pressure relief valves and/or hydraulic accumulator.
Small Aircraft System Example – Cessna 172S
• In the Cessna 172S aircraft shown on the
right, only the brakes are powered by
‘hydraulic’ pressure.
• Pressure is transferred from the pilot’s feet
to a master cylinder which, in turn, transfers
brake pressure to calipers on each main gear.
– There is no separate hydraulic pump on the
Cessna 172S.
Image: UND
• A leak or loss of brake fluid would result in
the loss of braking ability for the aircraft.
Small Aircraft System Example – Piper Seminole
• In the Piper Seminole aircraft shown on the right, the
brakes and landing gear are actuated by hydraulic
pressure.
– Note: Brake and gear systems are separate on the Seminole.
• Additionally, the constant speed propeller uses
hydraulic principles to control the pitch of the propeller.
• Hydraulic pressure is required to raise the gear and is
used to lower and lock the gear in place.
• Using an alternative emergency gear extension control, Image: UND
the Seminole gear may be lowered without hydraulic
pressure in the event of a system leak, pump failure or
switch malfunction.
TRANSPORT CATEGORY AIRCRAFT – HYDRAULICS
Hydraulic System Overview
“Hydraulics” is required for most of the systems which require actuation or movement in
large, transport category aircraft.
Examples include:
• Landing Gear and Nose Wheel Steering
• Braking (1)
• Thrust Reverse (2)
• Flight Control Surface Movement (3)
Photo: N. Wilson
(1) May be electrically actuated on certain aircraft (e.g. B787), (2) Pneumatically actuated on CRJ200.
(3) Selected flight control surfaces may be electrically actuated on certain aircraft.
12
Large Aircraft Hydraulic Systems
Images: A319 at gate. N. Wilson
Images: A319 at gate. N. Wilson
Cargo Door Operation
Images: A319 at gate. N. Wilson Flight Control System Movements
Nosewheel Steering,
Gear Retraction
Types of Hydraulic Pumps
* May also have single/double action hand pumps
Images: (FAA/AMT Vol 2, 2018, p. 12-16&17)
Hydraulic System Simplified Schematic – Boeing 737
Example of a Transport Category
Aircraft (B737)
• Greater complexity
• Three* HYD systems
• Multiple sources of pressure and
system redundancy
• Many “users” of hydraulic pressure
*Can vary depending on aircraft type.
(AMT Vol 2/FAA, 2018, p. 12-8)
Flight Deck Controls (HYD)
Images: (CRJ, Smartcockpit, 2018)
Images: (A320, Smartcockpit, 2018)
Flight deck controls vary considerably depending on aircraft type, however, basic
operations to turn electric pumps on/off, close fire shutoff valves, or disengage engine
driven pumps are relatively common.
Additional controls may exist for supplemental or emergency hydraulic system operation.
Image below: (CRJ, Smartcockpit, 2018)
Flight Deck Display (HYD)
• Flight deck hydraulic displays vary
considerably depending on aircraft type.
• Basic display information includes individual
system pressure, source of pressure, fluid
quantities and temperature information.
• Hydraulic system displays are particularly
useful during abnormals and emergencies
by assisting the crew with determining how
an abnormal may impact the flight
operation.
Image/right: (A320, Smartcockpit, 2018)
Hydraulic System – Operational Application
• What impact would a single hydraulic system failure have on a transport category
aircraft?
1. Minimal impact, but depends on the system
2. May impact normal gear extension/retraction*
3. May impact braking or thrust reverser function*
4. Should be able to pick a desired landing runway and stay on it, if procedures are
executed properly.
*Depends on which hydraulic system is lost.
Case Study – Northwest Airlines DC-9-50 / Airbus A319
• Ground Collision of DC-9 into A319
• Location / Date: MSP / May 10, 2005
• Northwest #1495 (DC9)
• NTSB Probable Cause:
– The Captain's decision to shutdown the
left engine during taxi with no hydraulic
pressure on the right side hydraulic
system to effectively operate the brakes,
steering, or thrust reversers.
– A factor was the fatigue fracture of the
rudder shutoff valve which resulted in
the loss of right side hydraulic pressure. Image: [Link]
Lesson Summary
• Hydraulic systems can vary in complexity from very simple on small aircraft to very complex on
transport category aircraft.
• Simple hydraulic system examples include braking systems of general aviation aircraft.
• More complicated examples include triple-redundant systems of transport category aircraft.
• Loss of hydraulics may impact the ability of aircraft to brake, raise or lower the gear or operate
certain flight control surfaces.
• Larger, transport category aircraft have multiple hydraulic system redundancies which allow for a
greater margin of safety.
