PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - TAM A320 crash at Congonhas, Brazil
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Old 3rd Aug 2007, 14:41
  #1026 (permalink)  
i-Robot
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
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The speed brake/ground spoiler's lever is armed by the PNF physically, by pulling the lever out, so as to expose a white indicator/or marker on the handle itself. Upon touch down the spoilers are automatically deployed, and the only indication in the cockpit is on the lower crt (or Systems Display). The pilot can then observe whether the spoilers have deployed. If it hasn't, then one can physically move the lever, thus manually deploying spoilers.

But, to answer your question, once its armed and automatically activated, it doesn't move.

However, if the pilot advances the thrust levers (or just one thrust lever) into TOGA/GA mode, the spoilers automatically disarm and remain retracted, as the flight computers transition into the GA phase.

Very clever machine, if its utilised in the correct manner.
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