Serious question: do planes have antilock brakes? What kind of brakes DO they have...hydraulic ones similar to cars? Im trying to get an idea how modulateable they are.
Depends on the plane. Your basic Cessna or Piper does not have anti-lock, just standard unpowered hydraulics like a motorcycle.
I'm pretty sure all modern commercial aircraft do have anti-lock brakes. I know the Airbus family does, although Airbus calls it anti-skid. They work very well, especially when the plane is light.
The brakes have to be good enough to stop an aircraft at it's maximum weight and maximum takeoff speed without the benefit of reverse thrust. The brakes are large and have several disks on each wheel.
