Go Back  PPRuNe Forums > Ground & Other Ops Forums > Questions
Reload this Page >

Leaving Flaps Down after Ldg -Why Notify Tower

Wikiposts
Search
Questions If you are a professional pilot or your work involves professional aviation please use this forum for questions. Enthusiasts, please use the 'Spectators Balcony' forum.

Leaving Flaps Down after Ldg -Why Notify Tower

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 12th Nov 2003, 08:51
  #1 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Someplace cold
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Leaving Flaps Down after Ldg -Why Notify Tower

Why are you supposed to notify the tower if you're going to taxi in with your flaps down after landing?

I've heard it mentioned that it has something to do with security/visability considerations, but given that the guys in the tower are up high that doesn't make sense to me given their field of view.

This is one thing they never taught us in CPL school.

Thanks.
Wannabe737driver is offline  
Old 12th Nov 2003, 15:32
  #2 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: UK
Posts: 1,178
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Because leaving flaps down after landing used to (maybe still is) a ground signal for hijack.

Leaving flaps down, or partially down, after landing may be done because of snow, system failure or failing to do the checks!

Many years ago in the military, after landing at an American base, I neglected to raise my flaps after landing (cock-up) and found myself surrounded by flashing lights near the apron.

It didn't seem to matter to them that I was in a single seat aircraft!
FlapsOne is offline  
Old 12th Nov 2003, 16:49
  #3 (permalink)  
LEM
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: The Roman Empire
Posts: 831
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
amazing, you never stop learning strange things - never heard of that before!
LEM is offline  
Old 12th Nov 2003, 17:33
  #4 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Spain
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Hi,

I'm really struck by this! Never heard about it either

Can you confirm this is kind of a worldwide practice or custom??
Guatico is offline  
Old 12th Nov 2003, 18:02
  #5 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Anywhere
Age: 50
Posts: 62
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Flaps one is right.........
It does mean high-jack still.
As well as requesting "300 000"(for a 737-3) pounds of fuel it was a way to
alert ops about the hi-jack situation.
At least on our company........strange isn't it??
2FLYEU is offline  
Old 12th Nov 2003, 19:44
  #6 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: HON121º/14 NM
Posts: 664
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
In our company we raise the flaps to the take off setting in preparation for the next sector, yet no one ever comes to see if we've been hijacked....
Firestorm is offline  
Old 12th Nov 2003, 20:17
  #7 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Berkshire, UK
Age: 79
Posts: 8,268
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Wow.. all those "hi-jacked" aircraft I saw during my time at Heathrow Tower that never got in the papers!!

I,m long out of date but know of no reason why crews should advise ATC other than to stop the smarty-pants in the tower telling them! I learnt this very early on when I told a departing Airbus that his gear was down. "Affirmative, we use them for the take-off" !!
HEATHROW DIRECTOR is offline  
Old 12th Nov 2003, 20:37
  #8 (permalink)  

PPRuNe Co-Pilot
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: The Sky
Posts: 931
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Something new to me as well, like dad once said, "Son, you always learn something new every day"...

Im trying to search my Air Law manual, but cant find anything suggesting the above regarding flaps down, i shall try and confirm it with my instructor.

Heathrow Director

"Affirmative, we use them for the take-off" !!


This is a good one, thanks for sharing...
AIRWAY is offline  
Old 12th Nov 2003, 20:42
  #9 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: Queensland, Australia.
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Its definitly correct flaps down means hijack in my airline however I have done so inadvertently a couple of times and nothing happened
BIG DADDY is offline  
Old 12th Nov 2003, 22:37
  #10 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Neither Here Nor There
Posts: 125
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Concur.....HIJACK

About 2 yrs ago we landed in Hong Kong....and the flaps failed to retract.
We advised the tower who promptly replied "Many thanks, we noticed, you had us worried for a minute there!"

Sometimes I guess you get a flightcrew and controller who remember these "old ways'.

There are many other ways to indicate HIJACK to ATC...... various radio calls/requests etc but in this brave new world in an open forum it probably not the best place to air our little secrets? Who knows who is listening??
Felix Lighter is offline  
Old 12th Nov 2003, 22:47
  #11 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Anywhere
Age: 50
Posts: 62
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Felix..............

You're absolutely right!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We don't want another 911.
2FLYEU is offline  
Old 12th Nov 2003, 23:02
  #12 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Skagness on the beach
Posts: 882
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Great, now we reminded Uncle Osama to make sure the pilots pull the flaps before taxi. Oh, yah I forgot they don't want to land at an airport.
747FOCAL is offline  
Old 13th Nov 2003, 01:47
  #13 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: platform9
Posts: 76
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Could it be that aircraft with fuselage mounted engines taxi-in flaps down to avoid fod being ingested in the engines.

744rules is offline  
Old 13th Nov 2003, 02:04
  #14 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: U and K
Posts: 310
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Hi guys

I used to work for SAS at Heathrow and noticed that our pilots used to leave the flaps down until just before turning onto stand!
Sometimes it was a long taxy if landing 09L/27R to get to Terminal 3. I also noticed this when I flew on them.
Dont know why they did this, never asked, but shall ask a pal who still works there to find out from one of the drivers!

Abo944
ABO944 is offline  
Old 13th Nov 2003, 02:22
  #15 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Skagness on the beach
Posts: 882
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
744rules,

You just jogged my memory.....

The 727 has suggestions for taxi with flaps down for FOD.
747FOCAL is offline  
Old 13th Nov 2003, 03:32
  #16 (permalink)  
LEM
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: The Roman Empire
Posts: 831
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Alitalia for example leave their MD80 flaps down, at an intermediate setting, after landing, to ease a possible emergency evacuation....
LEM is offline  
Old 13th Nov 2003, 05:23
  #17 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Australia
Posts: 2,242
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
ABO944

Just a possibility. Maybe it is SOP in SAS not to do the after landing check list until taxying is complete, especially at complex airports where both sets of eyes and ears are required to ensure no wrong turns or missed calls?
BlueEagle is offline  
Old 13th Nov 2003, 05:55
  #18 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Hotels (mainly)
Posts: 36
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
In the airline I fly for if you squawk a certain code that notifies atc you have been hijacked,then if you taxi in with the flaps down that is telling atc you want the aircraft immobilsed.
Thats what the book says.
Waldo.P is offline  
Old 13th Nov 2003, 06:34
  #19 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Mahlangeni
Posts: 204
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Hi Guatico,

Not only is it flaps down, but FULL flaps to indicate what you suspected. That's why MD80s are not bothered (by ATC) when they taxi in with intermediate flap settings which is SOPs. ATC expect different flap settings from different A/C and when they see something out of the norm, ?s are asked... (if they can see that far at all)
square leg is offline  
Old 13th Nov 2003, 23:54
  #20 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: ----
Age: 44
Posts: 1,425
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
About the flaps down thing, it means Hijacking, but only if the A/C instead of clearing the RWY at first available interection taxies down to the end and stops.

It must be writen in some ICAO Anexxes (not sure if it's the security or airlaw)

I am quite sure about what I stated because I am quite sure I read it while I was studying for my.

I am mistaken I am terribly sorry!!

Good flying to all of you
Speevy is offline  


Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.