If you do it right, they say, you may never have to touch the brakes while landing. But it seldom happens that way, and that’s why tires and brakes take a beating. We lock the brakes, we ride them, we overheat them. And the chain reaction—at best—means premature brake wear. At the worst, it’s a runway overrun or loss of control.
The proper preflight inspection can help you spot some trouble areas—if you know what you’re looking for—but there’s more to it. Here’s a primer for keeping tabs on brake wear in between visits to the shop, and a solid review on how they work.