I had one of those dreaded family funerals to attend in my native New Zealand last week. Getting there is a hurry was quite the experience- DEN-SFO-SYD-CHC and return.On the flight DEN-SFO, and the SYD-CHC-SYD legs, I flew on an A319/320 aircraft. I noted that when the aircraft came to the approach speed reduction, a "rumbling" noise similar to spoilers was heard, but having a wing-view window seat there clearly were no spoilers or flaps- and it wasn't gear as that happened later with a big "clunk" and those little electric wirring motors. I could only conclude that this was coming from under the wing or fuselage- or elsewhere on the upper fuselage. Are there airbrakes separate to the wing spoilers and flaps on this equipment. This was common to all 3 flights, one UA and 3 NZ.Thanks- Bruce.

>I had one of those dreaded family funerals to attend in my>native New Zealand last week. Getting there is a hurry was>quite the experience- DEN-SFO-SYD-CHC and return.>>On the flight DEN-SFO, and the SYD-CHC-SYD legs, I flew on an>A319/320 aircraft. I noted that when the aircraft came to the>approach speed reduction, a "rumbling" noise similar to>spoilers was heard, but having a wing-view window seat there>clearly were no spoilers or flaps- and it wasn't gear as that>happened later with a big "clunk" and those little electric>wirring motors. I could only conclude that this was coming>from under the wing or fuselage- or elsewhere on the upper>fuselage. Are there airbrakes separate to the wing spoilers>and flaps on this equipment. This was common to all 3>flights, one UA and 3 NZ.not too familiar with the bus but perhaps they were turning on the backup hydraulic pumps and transfers. the airbus is noted for not being as well insulated as boeings and thus sounds come through quite a bit more.there is no air brake i am aware of on the bus other than the inflight spoilers.

Thanks for the info.I heard today that the noise could have been the landing lights being extended, they apparently on this a/c extend below the wing and make a noise not unlike the sound of air brakes. Thanks- Bruce.

>Thanks for the info.>>I heard today that the noise could have been the landing>lights being extended, they apparently on this a/c extend>below the wing and make a noise not unlike the sound of air>brakes. >>Thanks- Bruce.>Most pilots are conscious of this and usually do not extend them into "rumble" mode. The ones on the 717 are LOUD above 200 kts. I never knew the bus had lights come out of the wings, I always thought they were embedded in the wing, but looking at this photo it looks like the come down out of the wing right at the root (hence why I thought they were embedded as the lights were near the root).http://www.airliners.net/open.file/1287546/L/

So is the bulb burnt out in the lite on the right?JimCYWG

>So is the bulb burnt out in the lite on the right?>Jim>CYWGNah, just looks like the viewing angle with respect to the landing light lens to me.RhettAMD 3700+ (@2585 mhz), eVGA 7800GT 256 (Guru3D 93.71), ASUS A8N-E, PC Power 510 SLI, 2gb Corsair XMS 3-3-3-8 (1T), WD 150 gig 10000rpm Raptor, WD 250gig 7200rpm SATA2, Seagate 120gb 5400 rpm external HD, CoolerMaster Praetorian

>So is the bulb burnt out in the lite on the right?>Jim>CYWGcould have an alternating set of lights. i know some 737's have these and they make you stand out quite a bit (ie they're doing their job).

Yes- thanks- I also was unaware until yesterday of those extended lights under the wing root. Come to think again about it, we were at about 10,000 MSL when they came on in all 3 circumstances, and when the a/c was slowing to flap extension speed (hence I assumed some spoiler effect that I couldn;t see on the top of the wing).Bruce.