falcondrvr

Simon has nailed it Mike. I'll try to give you an explanation as best I can based on the planes I've worked with. As you probably know, in most jets when you deploy the reverse system you do so by pulling up on the piggy back levers until they hit a detent. When that detent is hit, the physical reversing system(differs by plane)that blocks the thrust is moved into place. Once the system locks in place, you can continue to pull on the piggybacks which will accelerate the engines just as if you were pushing the throttles forward to take off.... but now the thrust is being blocked and diverted by the reversing system. If you spin the engines up to high RPM then slam the piggyback levers forward through the detents, you get quite a good shot of speed as the reversing system closes but the engines are still at higher RPM and there's nothing to divert their thrust.... it takes the engines some extra time to spool down, so they push you forward.

Liam of course brings up some great points. And just so you know Orlaam, I gave you the basic FAR Part 91 fuel requirements which you can look up if you wish. One interesting thing, and I believe Liam is eluding to things like this, is that even though your flt planning software tells you that it'll take say... 2000lbs of fuel to fly to your alternate, it probably will be more than that. Possibly a lot more. The controllers aren't gonna send you direct to JFK and make you number 1 for landing after you go miss at White Plains. In other words, what's legal isn't always safe.

How you plan this all out depends on the regs. We could write pages about the idiosyncrasies but if you want a decent baseline to shoot for try this. Pick the airport you want as your alternate, then put on enough fuel to fly to the destination, then to the alternate and then for another 45 mins on top of that. What airport was your alternate for your PDX flight?

Good lord. In any case, we're all pulling for you guys.

But just think.... the pigs may have been better eats than the catering that I hear you guys have been getting!