Reverse Thrust Confusion

[BAW662 5]

Hi all

 

I recently visited my local airport and I noticed that all of the B738 and A320 aircraft seemed to idle the reverse thrust at 60 knots but the covers on the engines remained open until the end of the runway. Only one B738 idled the reverse thrust at 60 knots and also closed the covers at the same time.

 

Please can someone explain this to me?

 

Also, can this be simulated in FSX using the NGX?

 

Ryan

[Budbud 227]

Actually, they just apply the procedure:

 

The procedure is [at 60kt] to start reducing the reverse thrust so that the reverse thrust levers are moving down at a rate commensurate with the deceleration rate of the airplane. The thrust levers should be positioned to reverse idle by taxi speed, then to full down after the engines have decelerated to idle.

 

 

For more details, you may have a read through the FCTM provided with the NGX. You will find their all what you need to know with regards to the flight techniques and aircraft handling.

 

And yes, you can definitely reproduce that in fsx with the NGX. You need two levers available on a throttle quadrant and fsuipc to program them with the reversers.

 

I use that config with both the NGX and the T7.

[Guest]

Hi Ryan.

 

Every operator has slightly different policies regarding reverse thrust, just to let you know our companies policy is to use a minimum of idle thrust on all landings. Higher autobrake settings causes issues with brake cooling if you have a quick turnaround so a reverse thrust setting higher than idle should be used (2nd detent or Max Rev Thr)

 

Idle thrust is used in normal flight operations when the braking action is reported as GOOD or better and the turnaround schedule will not be affected by using just autrobrake, speedbrake and idle reverse.

 

We generally reduce to 1st detent at 60kts as you observed and we cancel reverse approaching taxiing speed or when stopping is assured. There's been incidents in the past where crew have cancelled reverse on a slippy/contaminated runway and found that the braking action is pretty poor! The time it takes to stow the reversers, deploy them again and set max reverse is in reality almost 20 seconds!

 

Hope this helped.

 

Sam Breese.

[BAW662 5]

Romain and Sam, thank you so much for these extremely detailed replies.