737-700 - Spoilers - I know, I know...

[Guest ILSVector]

Randy,That is absolutey right. I forgot that is what I was doing--"/" to deploy, then "Shift-/" to retract AND arm. Thanks for the correction.

[johndrago 4]

Hi Wolfgang,I have the same situation. Now if I can only get them to deploy, I would then not worry so much about the light staying on! :)This has been a good discussion so far. I hope it continues.Thanks everyone!- John

[Vulcan 14]

I don't know if this wil help or confuse even more :-) but here goes.I too have been having problems with deploying the speed brakes on -800/900 despite reading and taking in Randy's posts on this subject.However this evening I got them to deploy and I *think* I know the answer, the one that Randy has been pushing home for ages - throttle to idle.I use a Saitek X36 combo that is correctly set up via FSUIPC with a null idle zone and reverse thrust below that but I could never get the spoliers to deploy until this evening.At about 5,000ft on approach arm the speed brakes by dragging the lever down to the ARM position, confirm the speed brake light is on.Now I did have to extend the brakes a bit from 5,000ft to bring the speed down but I don't think that was the 'magic' bit.At the 100ft call I disconnected the A/T and the engines remained at the setting comanded by the A/T even though my Saitek throttle was at idle.At the 50ft call I moved the Saitek throttle forward and then back to idle and the engines went to idle, on touch-down speed brakes deployed.So for those using a throttle try 'cycling' the throttle once the A/T has diengaged.If Randy is correct in stating that throttle not at idle will inhibit deployment then going to reverse thrust on your throttle will not work, although to this non-pilot I would have thought reverse thrust would have deployed the spoilers.HTH someone.Dave

[Guest bobsk8]

Actually, probably as you were writing this post Dave, I was doing the exact same thing " almost". I was thinking about the fact that I have been flying this Sim for weeks with no Spoiler problems at all until lately. I always used to disconnect the AT at about 50 feet, with the manual throttle at about midposition and then pull it quickly back to idle, prior to touchdown . I tried this twice tonight after 2 1 hour flights , and both times the Spoilers deployed. It's as if the A/T does not disengage in enough time and the Spoiler activation unit sees that there is still some power being called for and doesn't deploy the spoilers. Hitting the F1 key at touchdown is apparently too late to stop this condition from occuring. I am going to play with this some more tomorrow, but it looks like we may be on to something.

[johndrago 4]

For me, when clicking near the base of the lever, the lever would move 1/8 down, the light would illuminate, but no deployment.Thanks,- John

[johndrago 4]

UPDATE: 737-700Per Floris' note, I tried what he suggested. When I was arming the speedbrakes via the throttle quadrant, I was clicking (single click) below the base of the speedbrake lever to set the handle in the armed postion. The armed light would illuminate, but my speedbrakes did not deploy.Tonight, I tried two flights. This time, I clicked on the actual speedbrake lever handle (top, where virtual fingers would go), and DRAGGED it to the armed position. My spoilers deployed both times!I need to continue testing to make sure, but I had no deployment before, and now I have two deployments in a row. Perhaps there is an issue with the clickspots not being actually functioning the same even though the light illuminates either way?See my image below of the clickspots I mentioned.http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/88084.jpgIf anyone else can please verify, let us know.Thanks,John

[Vulcan 14]

Hi Bob,The way I have my setup I try not to use the keyboard so have never used '/' or F1 and have just lived with the problem of no spoilers.After reading one of the other threads on this subject I did some circuit and bumps to try to follow the steps using the keyboard but still couldn't get the spoilers to deploy.During this time noticed that the engines take quite a while to spool down to idle and then remembered some time ago someone mentioned about 'cycling' the throttle (different aircraft).Now I don't know if the cycling did the trick or disengaging the a/t at 100ft gave the engines more time to spool down, but I will use the procedure next time I fly the 737NG.

[johndrago 4]

Hi Vulcan,See the lastest post I wrote above (with the picture) regarding the clickspots. Have you tried what was recommended?Let us know.Thanks,John

[Marius_S 4]

Hi John!Just tried what you recommended and it worked perfect! I have tried 4 times now (with -600, -700, -800 og -900) and the spoilres deployed every single time! Thanks John!

[Guest bobsk8]

I am going to try clicking on the handle itself ( which is what I was also doing in the beginning) and see if that is the problem. I'll post the results.

[Guest zip]

I fall in the category of virtual pilots who have had zero, nada, zip (donut?) luck with auto-spoilers since installing the 800, but I must admit that thus far, I have never tried to drag the handle. I always click near the base. I will promptly try this and see if it makes a difference! This said, I really don't mind having to "trust, but verify" with the slash on landing...

[johndrago 4]

...and I still push F1 to make sure the engines are at idle after disconnecting AT at 100 feet, and going idle at 50 feet. My yoke throttle may be off by a hair, so it just gives me insurance.- John

[Vulcan 14]

>Hi Vulcan,>>See the lastest post I wrote above (with the picture)>regarding the clickspots. Have you tried what was>recommended?>>Let us know.>>Thanks,>>JohnJohn,I have always dragged the lever down to the arm position, I have never just clicked at the 'Arm' spot.If I get chance this week I will do some more touch and go's and see if I can get consistant results.RgdsDave

[Guest bobsk8]

I am convinced that the engine spool down time is too long to allow the spoilers to deploy in many cases unless the auto throttle is manually disengaged at 50-100 feet and the throttle is pulled back manually. This is the way I did it in the beginning and had "zero" problems. About the time that I got the 800 , I read that you didn't have to disengage the A/T, that it would do it automatically. I just realized yesterday that this was also about the time I started having the spoiler deployment problems. I then went back to my original method last night ,of manually turning off the A/T at about 100 feet and placing the throttle in about mid position when I turned off the A/T, and then pulling the throttle back to zero . If you don't do it this way and just click off the A/T, many times the power that was set when the A/T was engaged will continue, causing the spoilers not to deploy. ( last sentence is really important) I also realized tonight that at least on the 800, clicking on the top of the spoiler arm will not always set the spoiler to the arm position. Sometimes I click all over the arm for about 20 clicks and nothing moves ( and I mean all over the arm) . Then I click the green area under the arm and it goes into the arm position on the first click. Other times clicking on the top of the arm will place it in the armed postion. In other words, it's behavior going into the armed postion is erratic at best. Anyway, I have made 4 out of 4 landings with auto deploy and I think if you are having deployment problems and try this method, it will work.

[Guest zip]

Well, I just completed a test with the 600 on a short haul, and using the mouse/drag trick using the handle to arm the spoilers (instead of my usual click on the base), and, it gave me my spoilers back on landing! Woot!I think they call this an epiphany.Onto test the others. 1 down, 3 to go. Brilliant suggestion, thank you thank you thank you!