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Do large and heavy Airliners, Jumbos and Super Jumbos wide bodies included use full thrust for braking when reversers are deployed? What is the thrust setting?

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  • $\begingroup$ related: aviation.stackexchange.com/q/3660/1467 $\endgroup$
    – Federico
    Commented Apr 26, 2018 at 11:13
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    $\begingroup$ The answers given below don’t really specify how much actual thrust the engine produces when “max reverse thrust” is selected. I have a hunch it is considerably less than full rated “forward” thrust. $\endgroup$
    – Mike Sowsun
    Commented Apr 26, 2018 at 15:51

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Flight manual procedures and operators‘ policies notwithstanding, they would typically use full reverse thrust when the stopping performance requires so, and idle reverse thrust when not. The latter setting means less wear on the engines and lower noise. The former setting overrides these considerations when safety demands it.

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Depends on...
* the manufacturer's recommendations,
* the operator's policies,
* the airport's procedures,
* the Captain's wishes.

A 747 landing in LHR will probably only use Reverse Idle, whereas landing on a classicly-Caribbean airport may go to Full Reverse.

And the A380 only has 2 reversers, so that may affect the policy on that aircraft.

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  • $\begingroup$ Unless, of course, the Heathrow 747 is landing on an icy runway... $\endgroup$
    – Vikki
    Commented Jun 30, 2018 at 14:12
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Thrust reverser works best on contaminated runways. On a relatively dry runway, full vs idle thrust reverse has negligible effect on braking. However, on icy runways, full trust reverse has a much greater effect on stopping distance. This information comes from the Airbus operational manuals.

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    $\begingroup$ One could quibble about "works best" vs "makes the most difference," but whichever phrasing is used, the basic point that TR's are most useful on contaminated runways is correct. It would be helpful to use that fact to reach an answer to the stated question, which is how TR's are used in practice. $\endgroup$
    – Ralph J ♦
    Commented Feb 6, 2021 at 20:41
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    $\begingroup$ This doesn't actually answer the title or body questions. $\endgroup$
    – CGCampbell
    Commented Feb 8, 2021 at 14:08

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