Southwest Smash Landing and B737 Spoiler?
 

Hey Guys,

My friend was trying to convince me that Southwest purposely lands at 200-300 FP/M just to smooth the roll out. He also said that if you land to smooth, the spoilers won't deploy. Is there any truth to this? Do they do that?

Thanks,
Collin

I've not heard of any spoiler initiation problem being induced by a smooth landing, assuming the system is serviceable!

Anyway no problem...the FE...errrr sorry, the FO will call "Spoiler not up" and the C will simply operate the lever manually, again making the assumption that the C is doing the landing.
Otherwise the C will simply pull the s/b lever when he realizes it has not operated automatically.

Cheers
EW73 :)

Had one 'roll on' landing where the spoilers got confused and did not deploy automatically.

Random luck, not a typical touchdown.

I've had the occasional hesitation due to a peachy one but never a failure to deploy automatically. The logic of the system seems to have been designed to reduce the chances of this happening to a minimum.

Extract directly from the 737 manual:-

During landing, the auto speed brake system operates when these conditions
occur:
• SPEED BRAKE lever is in the ARMED position
• SPEED BRAKE ARMED light is illuminated
• radio altitude is less than 10 feet
• landing gear strut compresses on touchdown
Note: Compression of any landing gear strut enables the flight spoilers to
deploy. Compression of the right main landing gear strut enables the
ground spoilers to deploy.
• both thrust levers are retarded to IDLE
• main landing gear wheels spin up (more than 60 kts).
The SPEED BRAKE lever automatically moves to the UP position and the
spoilers deploy.

I have had it once, when I over flared and sort of skipped on the mains. It seemed too soft to activate the auto speedbrakes. They popped up on the second touch, which was a little more detectable when the wings stopped flying :E

If I remember correctly, auto speedbrake inop is very restrictive on the LDA.

I've done it once before - having a touchdown so smooth the spoilers don't pop isn't necessarily good - the motor sort of starts, then pauses as if it can't make it's mind up if it's on the ground. Then cue moment of confusion as we both look at the speed brake handle!

Horgy

and then again you can always deploy the spoilers manually?

I see, so, it usually doesn't happen that often, but it can. Does anyone know if Southwest purposely hits harder than normal because if it?

As Boeing point out in the Flight Crew Training Manual, a smooth landing is not necessarily a safe landing. The plane should be flown onto the runway at the desired speed and touchdown point. Done correctly, then the resulting landing will most likely be firm but not necessarily a bone-cruncher. This will ensure that spoilers etc will deploy without hesitation and minimise chances of tail strikes.

I'm sure SWA pilots will just fly the plane like they are meant to, and being positive on the touchdown is the way it's meant to be done to achieve the "Boeing Landing" :)

But who am I kidding, everybody loves a greaser from time to time :E

Some stick jockeys need to be reminded that the purpose of the runway is for landing and stopping and not a CFIT:eek::}:mad: event!

Fact: When ( any ) main gear compressed the FLIGHT spoilers are raised and when the RIGHT main gear compresses the GROUND spoilers are raised.

My thoughts: Hence if you land left main first it results in a soft touchdown and the hesitation in the spoilers is the waiting time for the right gear to compress and raise the ground spoilers.

Maybe you're thinking of anti-skid?

What the hell is this anyway? I repeatedly hear reference to Boeing landings on the line; usually after a controlled crash. If this technique has been endorsed by some fella wearing a flight suit from Seattle then he needs to go off and review effects of controls (or lack of). Test pilots, geezz. :eek:

Every good pilot has a good excuse! ;)

Horgy