Originally Posted by LGW Vulture
Just a few weeks ago, I was sitting aboard one of FRs competitors (as SLF) when we had taxied just short of the holding point. After aileron and spoiler checks were done (twice on the Airbus) I noted no flap or slat deployment.
So, that'll be easyJet then.
Originally Posted by BOAC
By the way, you said
"They had selected flaps after engine 1 start" which is NOT normal procedure.
Yes, it is at easyJet, if you are doing OETD (which is SOP).
Originally Posted by BALLSOUT
BOAC. Engine start order on a two engine aircraft. first you start engine 2, then you start engine 1.
At easyJet it is now 1 then 2.
The OETD goes roughly like this:
- Start 1.
- Set the flaps.
- Taxi around the airport.
- Start 2 while taxiing.
- Do the after start checks (while taxiing).
So, they probably forgot to set the flaps (easily done, given that for years we have all been setting flaps after second engine start) and had not yet got to doing the checks (sometimes delayed until you are stopped, so you are not both eyes down while driving).
Some of us have concerns about OETD, because it changes the order of everything (causing errors like, er, forgetting the flaps) and because it has both of you doing lots of checks when driving (causing wingtip crunching errors, or worse).