this is my understanding of airbrakes Plowboy. Airbrakes drop your ailerons down like flaps on a jet and uses some up elevator to stabilize. This increases drag and helps slow the plane down. This allows you to come in at a high angle of attack/fast and hit the switch for airbrakes which slows the plane way down and is great for short runways. This plane didn't want to seem to land if there was any type of breeze and now with the airbrakes I can come in steep and fast, hit the switch and slow almost to a stop and get on the ground. I love this plane as it is very easy to manuever and is unaffected by wind - unless you're trying to land! It does flat sping great and knife edge is good too. Now that my 46FX is all tuned up and flys alot better. It is very easy to harrier this plane as well. My favorite plane so far, although I do think I will go up a bit in engine size. This is a must get plane!! I think my balance is off side to side, or my rudder is out of trim or something as I need to hold a lot of right rudder to keep the plane staright when I go vertical.