From Airliners.net http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=7904...d=789682&size=LIs this usual to have the reversers on before landing?http://online.vatsimindicators.net/916312/3.png

Not usual, but not unknown either. Early model DC-8s had thrust reversers that were operable inflight for use as speedbrakes. Evidently, so does the IL-62.

Apparently the C-17 also uses the reversers just before touchdown - especially on short dirt assualt strips.

Kinda like a drag chute action.alto it seems a bit premature.Plane could still stall,ya think? My wife drives like that,brakes on. :-boom VIN!

FYI: you can link to airliners.net photos easier, at the top of every photo there is a short link you can use. That way your link isn't as long as a 747 :)

As weird as it sounds, it is pretty usual.I flew 737-200s for Southwest for around ten years. They are also equipped with JT8Ds, and more often than not I would deploy reverse thrust just as I flared. This was especially important when landing on shorter runways, as a fully loaded 737-200 on a short runway can be a ***** to stop!:7 Sean

Its not just on landing either. I saw this a couple of days ago and really was shocked:http://www.flightlevel350.com/viewer.php?id=4567The same plane reverses on its own power, no pushback. Quite handy really i wonder if it was really meant for this.

Saw a 747 a few years ago at Schiphol that came in hot and high.About 30 feet up they deployed reversers and spoilers, dropped like a brick onto the runway.Was a cargo aircraft, I hope there was nothing extremely fragile on board :)

In a tragic accident some years ago, at Regan,in DC .Heavy snow on the ground,the reverser's were used to maneuver. I believe ice and slush were directed into some sensors,this and absence of pitot tube heat,may have lead to erroneous readings in the cockpit.The result was,the plane went in to the frozen Potomac river killing almost all.I'm sure you may remember more than I do RE: this,but I do recall the use of the reverser's were a factor prior to take off. VIN

Many of the earlier design jets were expected to be able to reverse back from parking spots.Remember very few airports had jetways back then. Most airports around the world expected the propliners to be able to maneuver that way.I'm old enough to remember the "big deal" when KSHV installed their first two jetways - the other gates were walk out for several more years.Pushback was not a normal practice - and yes the early DC-9 and it's follow on MD-8X were among the many aircraft designed to be able to pull the aircraft back without a tug.I watched an ERJ and a CRJ do that at KRDU about two years ago within a couple minutes of each other, just before the MD-8X I was on also backed away without a tug.

I've been onboard DC-8's with reversers deployed during descent. What a racket that made!-John

I was about to comment on just that. If I remember correctly, the use of reverse thrust was determined to be a probable cause of the Air Florida crash. I'm surprised they're still doing this. Is there any reason this practice isn't prohibited?

Glad you remember.Also determined was the pilots did not go to full power.The instruments were not reflecting correctly the true numbers..It was said ,ice and all, the plane would have not gone down IF!! "YA CAN LEARN AND LIVE,OFTEN, FROM SOME TRAGIC LESSON!! VIN

While not exactly at thrust reverser as used on commercial aircraft, Cessna had these Thrust attenuators on their T-37s in order to control the engine thrust.http://www.airbum.com/pireps/PirepCessnaT-37.htmlTerry

That's not at all unusual. We used to back out 737s, MD80s, and occasionally, even a CV580. It was normal for the 737s and MDs some 20 years ago. We had no push back tugs at the airports I worked at.Darrell