Definition
A pilot's report of the deceleration achieved during landing rollout on a runway, described using standardized terms: Good, Good to Medium, Medium, Medium to Poor, Poor, or Nil. These reports help airport operators and other pilots assess runway surface conditions, particularly when contaminants such as water, snow, slush, or ice are present.
Plain English
How well an aircraft can slow down and stop on a runway after landing. Pilots tell the tower how good or bad the braking was so the next pilot knows what to expect.
Context Anchor
Pilots encounter braking action in airport weather information, controller reports, pilot reports, and runway condition information before landing or taxiing.
Why Pilots Care
It tells you whether the runway will provide enough grip to stop safely or if you should expect longer stopping distances and possibly divert.
Intuition Check
Braking action does not mean the pilot’s act of pressing the brakes. Here, it means the stopping grip available on the airport surface.
Example Sentence 1
After landing on the snow-covered runway, the captain reported braking action as Medium to Poor to the tower.
Example Sentence 2
With good braking action reported, the pilot landed and stopped well before the end of the runway.