Taxi out with one thrust reverser deployed?

[BrummyGit]

I was slf back from Stuttgart today and when taxiing out to take off we followed a KLM fokker which was taxiing out to take off in front of us, but with the left hand engine thrust reverser deployed.

I had never seen this before and wondered if it was a fault. I lost sight of it until it was in the air so I guess there was no problem. Is this usual and if so is it just done to limit taxi speed?

Cheers

[Hoover Pilot]

Yep - done to limit taxi speed and saving brake wear

HP

[BOAC]

Permissable also in the 737-100/200 series.

[BrummyGit]

Thanks, now if I can only work out why Airbus have a man sawing something in half inside their aircraft (A319/A320??) before take-off and after landing I'll almost have the answer to the universe :8

[fyrefli]

Very amusing, BrummyGit :)

[Final 3 Greens]

hanks, now if I can only work out why Airbus have a man sawing something in half inside their aircraft (A319/A320??) before take-off and after landing I'll almost have the answer to the universe

Its the barking of the dog that forms part of the crew when airborne.

For take off, it is stowed in the forward hold, accessible from a hatch in the flight deck.

Basically, the dog joins the FD after takeoff and sits in the jump seat.
The pilots feed the dog and give it water.

The dog is trained to bite a pilot trying to bugger about with the automatics.

[BrummyGit]

It must be a clever dog if it can use the saw ;)

[Ray D'Avecta]

When the aircraft is at relatively light Weights, the idle thrust from the engines can produce taxi speeds in excess of 25 knots, so one of the thrust reversers is deployed to produce drag, and as an alternative to continually applying the brakes.

Only one is deployed, because if both are deployed, the lift dumpers are automatically activated, and all sorts of alarms and warnings go off in the cockpit. :}

The reverser is retracted prior to lining up for take off, but its always comforting to get the call from ATC: "KLM...., are you aware that there is something hanging off your No. 1 Engine?" :)