Plain Bearings for Aerospace Applications

Plain bearings are used across a wide range of aerospace applications to help achieve better fuel efficiency, extend maintenance intervals, and lower carbon emissions. These applications include installation in aircraft wing systems (flaps, spoilers, and slats), flight controls, cockpit controls, auxiliary power units, landing gear, door systems, and aircraft interiors (seats, bins, latches, and hinge points). “Our plain bearings even have a footprint on Mars,” said Brett Ricci, GGB Aerospace Strategic Account Manager for North America. “Operating in temperatures between −200°C to +280°C, our plain bearings have served as the primary suspension components in the robotic drilling arm of NASA's Curiosity Mars Rover since 2012.”

Just as impressively, all of these applications are served by just two types of plain bearings: metal-polymer and fiber reinforced composite (FRC).