1st

The word “hydraulics” is based on the Greek word for water and originally meant the study
of the physical behavior of water at rest and in motion. Today, the meaning has been
expanded to include the physical behavior of all liquids, including hydraulic fluid.
Hydraulic systems are not new to aviation. Early aircraft had hydraulic brake systems. As
aircraft became more sophisticated, newer systems with hydraulic power were developed.

2nd

Hydraulic systems in aircraft provide a means for the operation of aircraft components. The
operation of landing gear, flaps, flight control surfaces, and brakes is largely accomplished
with hydraulic power systems. Hydraulic system complexity varies from small aircraft that
require fluid only for manual operation of the wheel brakes to large transport aircraft where
the systems are large and complex. To achieve the necessary redundancy and reliability, the
system may consist of several subsystems. Each subsystem has a power generating device
(pump) reservoir, accumulator, heat exchanger, filtering system, etc. System operating
pressure may vary from a couple hundred pounds per square inch (psi) in small aircraft and
rotorcraft to 5,000 psi in large transports.
3rd

Hydraulic systems have many advantages as power sources for operating various aircraft
units; they combine the advantages of light weight, ease of installation, simplification of
inspection, and minimum maintenance requirements. Hydraulic operations are also almost
100 percent efficient, with only negligible loss due to fluid friction.
4th

Basic Hydraulic Systems

Regardless of its function and design, every hydraulic system has a minimum number of basic
components in addition to a means through which the fluid is transmitted. A basic system consists
of a pump, reservoir, directional valve, check valve, pressure relieve valve, selector valve, actuator,
and filter.
Open Center Hydraulic Systems
An open center system is one having fluid flow, but no pressure in the system when the actuating
mechanisms are idle.

Closed-Center Hydraulic Systems

In the closed-center system, the fluid is under pressure whenever the power pump is operating. The
three actuators are arranged in parallel and actuating units B and C are operating at the same time,
while actuating unit A is not operating.