What does braking action code 0 indicate?

• A. Nil
• B. Poor
• C. Medium
• D. Good

Answer: (A)

Braking action describes how well aircraft brakes will work on a given runway, especially when it’s contaminated with snow, ice, or water. A braking action code of zero is Nil, the lowest end of the scale, which means there is effectively no usable braking available from the wheel brakes. On a surface with Nil braking action, slowing down reliably by braking is not expected; stopping distances can be vastly longer, and pilots rely heavily on other means such as reverse thrust and the airplane’s aerodynamics. The other terms indicate increasing levels of braking effectiveness (Poor, Medium, Good), whereas Nil means almost no braking capability at all.