Thrust lever question
 

On beginning the takeoff roll, the PF moves thrust levers forward and the PNF also places his hand behind them. What is this for?

So that the PNF can adjust the thrust levers if there is any difference in thrust between the engines - fine tune them.

Many thanks Brian, have just purchased the ITVV 737-300 DVD and am learning!

Simon

As a Chopper pilot on large twin engine machines, I believe It's because those fix wing guys just like holding each others hands on long routes. It makes the flight a bit more intermate !! :=

Nooo it just to congratulate ourselves on getting to fly something that isn't repelled by the earth..as opposed to generating lift:E

The technique of the other pilot following up on the throttles (aka thrust levers) was to stop the things being vibrated back to the less than fully forward position with a subsequent loss of power. The flight engineer, if there was one, tended to do this.

Now that the big pistons have gone and we are stuck with these mamby-pamby limp-wristed jets we still do this and the other chap is able to fine tune the power whilst the pilot flying tries to keep the thing straight.

Naturally, for the non-luddites on the latest generation of aircraft the hands are there, once the required power has been cross checked,:ok: simply to slam them shut should a change of heart be indicated.

Many old throttle lever systems would prefer the closed position if left to their own devices. Perhaps there is the odd system which would go the other way. So throttle levers always had friction adjustments which would be set for take off and then backed up by the other pilot if there was one.

Carrier pilots though take extreme care to remove their hands from the power lever/s before a catapult launch as the g of the launch will result in a substantial reduction in power and an ungainly wet plunge off the sharp end.