737 All flaps up landing -a question on airmanship
With regard to use of autobrake on MAX if perchance you are conducting an all flaps up approach and landing on a limiting runway length.
With a typical VREF of 190 knots at max structural landing weight in the 737 Classic, the use of auto-brake to MAX would possibly (?) increase the chances of a tyre blow-out shortly after the main wheels touch down. My guess is the risk of that happening should be considered during the pre-approach briefing. If that happened on the limited length runway above, the chances of an over-run would be quite high.
Prompt application of full reverse thrust at the high touch-down speed of around 185 knots would be extremely effective as we know that reverse thrust is more effective at high speeds - hence the Boeing FCTM recommendation that "the importance of establishing the desired reverse thrust level as soon as possible cannot be overemphasised."
Assuming the touchdown is at the correct speed and at the correct spot, then rapid application of full reverse will quickly reduce the airspeed at a faster rate than a normal landing flap reverse application. (lower speed - less efficient reverse).
Obviously brakes will have to be applied shortly after touch down on the limiting length runway - but the question is at what speed to avoid the risk of tyre blow-out.
We know that manual braking gives greater stopping capability than any of the auto-brake settings, including MAX. In fact on a limiting length runway, with an all flaps up landing with MAX autobrake selected, simulator experience has shown that over-riding the MAX autobrake into max manual braking is needed to stop the aircraft by the end of the runway.
The pilot is faced with two options as I see it. Use MAX autobrake selection in conjunction with rapid selection of full reverse and later transition to max manual braking to stop in time. Risk of tyre blow-out due very high speed touchdown and subsequent degradation of braking capability.
Or - autobrake selector off for landing - rapid selection of reverse immediately after touch down which - in conjunction with spoilers which are also effective at high speed then soon after manual braking up to maximum. The aim to reduce the risk of tyre blow-out caused by MAX autobrake on touchdown which would certainly result in an over-run - versus - a less chance of tyre blow-out by not braking until later when heavy manual braking in conjunction with full reverse makes succees highly dependant on when maximum manual braking is initiated?
At the subsequent Court of Inquiry (as my Wing Commnander would say) would the pilot run the risk of censure if he opted to use Max Autobrake for landing and subsequently blew a tyre by doing so and over-ran the runway? Or would he risk censure if he left maximum manual braking too late and over-ran because he was concerned that a blown tyre on touchdown posed the greatest danger?
Discuss the airmanship aspects of either decision..