Taxi with reverser deployed?

[SkySista]

Spotted a BAe 146 (or possibly RJ70) taxiing with the thrust reverser deployed. Pilot completed entire length of taxiway up to holding point where the a/c then took to the runway and proceeded to t/o with no revereser deployed. Is it normal/safe? have never seen it happen before and a following a/c of same type taxiied normally...

I'm guessing what would happen if they did t/o with it.. or is there some sort of safeguard to stop that happening?

Sky

[TURIN]

Quite right Mike, No reversers on the RJ/146.

Have trouble getting up to t/o speed with them deployed even if they did.:\

[Wycombe]

Remember quite often over the years seeing the L1011 taxiing with the reverser open on no.2 (tail) - did wonder why?

[SkySista]

Don't I feel stupid.... of course, I was referring to the airbrake.... just having a blonde moment (am not very familar with the little slow jets ;) )

So is there a reason they would do that, or just an oversight?? Just looked strange to me, is all...

And on the topic of reversers, I vaguely recall the Lauda air accident, is there any way a crew could recover from an in-flight deployment (given enough warning) , or is it all over once it has deployed?

[flying scotsman]

no reason to taxi with it open on either a/c unless he was testing the spoilers for some reason before t/o (same lever) .

sometimes used as a cheeky signal to aircraft taxiing behind.

:rolleyes:

[Vee One...Rotate]

I understand some business jets (with high thrust-to-weight ratios) sometimes taxi with reversers partly deployed as idle thrust is relatively high compared with the aircraft weight. It was metioned on a "Flightdeck" programme on Discovery Wings.

V1R

[Boss Raptor]

As above used to taxi the trijet Falcon 900 with centre reverser deployed as anything but max weight it would run away quite easily - was an approved procedure as I recall

Have also experienced on older aircraft DC8-62/63 and B737-300 where a reverser is slow to close (sticky/badly rigged) and needed a short blast of power to shove it fully home

[con-pilot]

I used to taxi lightly loaded 72s with the #2 in reverse occasionally to save on the brakes, and when operating on ice/slick taxiways on occasions would use all three engines for braking and maneuvering.

It is standard procedure to use the center (#2) engine reverse thrust on the Falcon 50 and 900 to keep taxi speed down. The only problem that can be encountered is with a strong tail wind you can get exhaust fumes into the cabin air system.

However on a lot (if not all) of wing mounted jet engine aircraft reverse cannot be used below a certain speed, such as 60kts idle and 80kts with any increased thrust, due to possible FOD.

[411A]

...especially when at at rather light weight.
However, Lockheed recommended that the number two reverser absolutely not be cycled into/out of reverse repeatedly, while taxiing, due to excessive wear on the teleflex cables.

With number two in reverse...brakes were kept nice and cool...for the rejected takeoff, which you hoped you never had.