Airplanes contain hundreds of electrical and mechanical devices. While some of these devices are complex, others are simple. Pulleys, for instance, are simple mechanical devices that are designed to apply a pulling force.
Pulleys consist of one or more wheels and a cable. The outer rim of the wheels features a lip with a groove in the center. The cable is placed inside of this groove, after which it’s used to pull a connected object. Some of the most common uses for pulleys in airplanes include the following.
#1) Wing Flaps
Pulleys are often used to control the wing flaps. On the back edge of a typical airplane’s wings are flaps. Pilots can adjust these flaps to reduce the airplane’s stalling speed. They can also adjust the flaps to reduce the airplane’s takeoff distance or its landing distance.
Flap adjustments are performed in the cockpit. When a pilot adjusts the flaps, though, it will typically engage in a pulley. The pulley will raise or lower the flaps.
#2) Ailerons
In addition to the wing flaps, many airplanes rely on pulleys to control the ailerons. Ailerons are similar to wing flaps. They are both classified as adjustable flight control surfaces, and they are both located on the back edge of an airplane’s wings.
When compared to flaps, ailerons are located closer to the tips. There’s typically a single aileron on each wing. You can find these ailerons near the tip of the wings. Flaps, on the other hand, are located farther away from the tips. Flaps are located near the fuselage on the wings, whereas ailerons are located near the tips. Regardless, both flaps and ailerons are connected to a pulley, which is used to raise or lower them.
#3) Landing Gear Systems
Landing gear systems are typically connected to a pulley. With the exception of seaplanes and similar waterborne aircraft, most airplanes have a wheel-based landing gear system. They rely on a set of wheels, shock-absorbing springs, brakes and more to land. As an airplane approaches a runway for landing, the pilot will lower the landing gear.
Most landing gear systems work in conjunction with a pulley. The pulley is used to raise the landing gear. When an airplane takes off, the pilot can raise the landing gear system. Raising the landing gear will leverage a pulley to bring it back into the airplane’s body. Pulleys are used for other purposes in airplanes, but some of their most common uses include wing flaps, ailerons and landing gear systems.
