I arm the speedbrake prior to touchdown but do not how to deploy the thrust reversers. Is there a specific key command I'm missing?Thanks.

Keith,Push the F2 key to deploy. Make sure your joystick throttle is at idle if you use a joystick. To stow, just add a little thrust with the joystick.Floyd

Floyd, thankyou very much for that. Should be able to turn onto a taxi-way now instead of the end of the runway.

Hi Keith,IRL REV is avaial from 10' RA.FCTM advises that reversers be stowed by taxi speed and they are most effective at high speeds.ATB,

IRL REV is avaial from 10' RA.?Not quite sure what you mean here Brad, but thanks anyway.

IRL REV is avaial from 10' RA.?Translation: In real life, reverse thrust is available at 10' on the Radar Altimeter.

Ooops,sorry Keith :D

I tried F2 a million times, no success. Then I figured out that my keyboard has f function lock key which was off. Now when I hit F2, the computer recognizes it.Tom Bernard

It's usually a good idea to hit F1 before F2, just to make sure throttles are idle.Even so, you usually don't require them, and at some airports they are only allowed under certain circumstances. Just try landing with autobrakes, and she usually stops well before the runway dissapears.Steve

Gents,I would recommend using REV for every landing.ALL real world pilots that I know always use at least IDLE REV after touchdown as to not do so leaves a certain amount of forward thrust on and so increases landing distance required and teh energy teh brakes must dissapate = more wear..Add to this that the aircraft is certified using REV and that brakes and tyres are very very very expensive and REV is free with minimal fuel used and just a bit of noise generated.The only time I use IDLE REV is on a roll through RWY19 at YBBNE and even then I use more than IDLE but no autobrake as permitted in the Companys SOP. Normall landing is always to the 1st REV Detent (about 78% N1 I think) and often more than that.ATB,Brad

I thought I remember reading in the manual that if use autobrakes, REV doesnt help slow you down, but just take some work off the brakes. Is this right?

Hi Matt,Not quite.The selection of AUTOBRAKE tells this very smart aeroplane what rate of deceleration you want after touchdown. The Autobrake system only has control of the wheel brakes and so applies them as much as is needed to achieve the commanded deceleration rate.So if you select a lot of reverse thrust then the aeroplane only needs a little bit of wheel brakes to meet the Autobrake setting but no reverse means all of the required deceleration must be achieved by the wheel brakes alone and when you are talking about slowing down 66360Kg from around 130kts or so that is a lot of millions of foot/pounds of energy to be dissapated as heat through the brakes ie they wear out a lot faster and are expensive.What does it all mean? Use Autobrake 2 in general and a big handful of reverse :DThis make sense now?Regards,

Keith,If you are using the whole length of the runway to stop without using 'Rev Thrust' your landing speed is far too high.Full flaps should be deployed at least at half a mile out and speed should be reduced for a respectable landing.Dave T. .........On the lovely warm Devon Riviera and active 'FlightSim User's Group' member at http://www.flightsimgrpuk.free-online.co.uk/

>What does it all mean? Use Autobrake 2 in general and a big>handful of reverse :DBrad,How nice to come to the forum and find a helpfull and informative post. Not the whinging and constant "I want" we have recently experienced.... You have made my day! Thank you. :-wave Regards,Gustav.

You are most welcome.I regret that work has me away from 'puter so much these days and so I have so little opportunity to contribute to these pages.Just for info:From QRH:At 65000Kg, Flaps 40, Autobrake Max you need about 900M to stop and this includes crossing the threshold at 50'which means 305M of Air distance before you get on the ground so the actual ground roll is about 600M for a B737-800W at max landing weight.Pretty impressive eh? :D No wonder I love the aeroplane.And for the curious: If you are making a maximum effort stop then the use of REV affects the Landing distance very little indeed - why would that be?Now that ought to get you all thinking :D(The answer is contained in a previous post in this thread)Rgds,