CFN – Pilot Dan Baz is answering your flying questions here on the Cornwall Free News.
If you have a question about flying you can email Captain Dan or post below.
Question
On landing I heard the engines power up again yet the airplane is braking. Why does the engine power go up ? I thought that we were going to take off again.asked by Ruth.
Answer
Jet engines normally produce thrust to push an airplane forward. However on landing, the airflow from jet engines can be deflected forward by a mechanism of flaps and blocker doors, to produce a decelerating, or braking force. This mechanism is called a thrust reverser. Just before tuchdown, the pilot flying the airplane reduces the engine thrust to idle power. After the airplane wheels contact the runway, he activates the thrust reverse.
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Then, by increasing the engine power the decelerating force, or reverse thrust, is increased.
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The reverse thrust helps to decelerate the airplane, thus reducing the landing distance. So on landing, when you hear the engine power to increase, it is to produce more reverse thrust and assist in slowing down the airplane, not to take off again. Depending on runway and weather conditions, most of the time pilots will use minimum, or idle reverse thrust, to minimize engine noise. The reverse thrust is particularly effective when landing on slippery runways.
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A bit more about Captain Dan:
Captain Dan Baz enrolled in Flight School at the age of 16.
He has completed studies in Aircraft Engineering and Master of Business Administration. He has been at the controls of many different types of aircraft, from single engine Cessnas to large intercontinental jets on global routes.
Over the last four decades he has flown thousands of hours up in the blue sky.
Have a question for the Captain ? Send it to Captain Dan Baz captaindanbaz@yahoo.com Every week a question from the readers will be selected and answer posted in this column.
