Hi, I know this might be trivial, but I have flown numerous flights with the MD11 and recorded in video the landings. Today I did the usual but the angle was slightly different visually but on playback I noticed for the first time the reverse thrust deployed in the tail engine. You might say so what, but I bet most simmers attention is usually taken to the front of the aircraft and seeing the reversers deploy in the main engines, come on be honest and admit it, so next time watch the tail engine as well, it adds another dimension visually. richard welsh.

True!! I've never looked at my MD-11's number two enging while landing, haha.

That's quite a valid comment guys- I've never taken notice of the tail engine reverser either so I did some searching and found this superb clip of a Finaair MD11 landing at Vancouver with a great shot of the tail reverser in actionHope the link works :(

It's just a regular engine with a regular TR, except it has a long tube at the front. Is it doing something special that I'm missing?I'm not trying to rain on a parade. I'm just curious if I'm missing something.

Its not doing anything special and nothing is missing. Its just that most aircraft flying these days have wing mounted engines and there are fewer and fewer tail mounted aircraft in the skies today which makes the MD11 always a spectacular sight to see especially closeup. Where I live there are only a very limited amount of MD11's (UPS and Fedex) flying in and out of Sydney.

It's just a regular engine with a regular TR, except it has a long tube at the front. Is it doing something special that I'm missing?I'm not trying to rain on a parade. I'm just curious if I'm missing something.

It is special. Someone with better knowledge will correct me if i'm wrong. The buckets on the #2 engine can only deploy on nose wheel touchdown.Don't hold the nose off too long. P.S Video poster I Hope you don't mind: watch the end of the video. From 0:54 to 1:01

It is special. Someone with better knowledge will correct me if i'm wrong. The buckets on the #2 engine can only deploy on nose wheel touchdown.Don't hold the nose off too long. P.S Video poster I Hope you don't mind: watch the end of the video. From 0:54 to 1:01

/See what happens to the #2 reverser in this videostarting 1:01

Or what's happenning at 1:01 in the KLM video is just the bucket "Unlocking"?I watched Chris's "MD11_VIS_HD" and he mentions nose gear compression for #2 reverser to engage.

The reverser are deployed depending on the company SOP (procedures)...Maybe Finnair say to its pilot to deploy the tail reverser only after the nose wheel have touched ground, meanwhile KLM say to pilots to deploy as fast as the main wheels touches ground.The reverser on the MD11 can be deployed when you want, just after you have touched ground, or when you have also touched runway with the nose wheel gear.I usually deploy them immediatly after main touchdown, because MD11 VREF is high and sometimes the runway is not so long...Cheers,

The reverser are deployed depending on the company SOP (procedures)...Maybe Finnair say to its pilot to deploy the tail reverser only after the nose wheel have touched ground, meanwhile KLM say to pilots to deploy as fast as the main wheels touches ground.The reverser on the MD11 can be deployed when you want, just after you have touched ground, or when you have also touched runway with the nose wheel gear.I usually deploy them immediatly after main touchdown, because MD11 VREF is high and sometimes the runway is not so long...Cheers,

FYI, independent of SOP,sReverser deployment on ALL 3 engines can be selected as soon as the mainwheels are on ground.Reverse thrust above idle can be selected on engine 1 and 3 as soon as the reverser is deployed.Reverse thrust above idle on engine 2, requires the nosewheel being on the ground.Hope it clears any questions.Regards,Harry

Thanks for the corrections and info. Interesting notes here.

Thanks for this info guys, found it very intersting reading and have now learnt a few more things about the MD11 :(