ATR..."prop brake?"

[Flying Illini]

Returning from my honeymoon on Sunday, sitting in a 732 waiting for people to stow their 900 carry-ons and an ATR-42 pulled up next to us (facing us). The port engine was spooling down and it seemed that it had been shut-down prior to reaching the gate while the starboard one was still producing power. As soon as they were chocked they shut down the port engine but instead of the prop slowly spinning to a stop, it just stopped. It actually stopped spinning before the port prop had.
So, are ATR's equipped with a "prop brake?" Do other turbo props have this?

 

[Dave Benjamin]

If it's a free turbine engine they may have turned on something like a hydraulic pump that is tied to the RGB.

 

[chperplt]

ATRs do indeed have a prop brake, as well as other turboprops and some helicopters.

Congratulations on your marriage... now you can join the "your life is over" club!!!

 

[Palomino]

yes. atr's have a prop brake on #2. serves the purpose of an APU for electric and air conditioning needs.

not sure how well it works. never flew it.

 

[jehtplane]

Works great last long time

 

[Workin'Stiff]

The Saabs have them also... But XJ has removed/disabled the feature from all of them... Instead we use air carts and GPU's which are WAY more reliable... *sarcasm*

 

[Flying Illini]

ATRs do indeed have a prop brake, as well as other turboprops and some helicopters.

Congratulations on your marriage... now you can join the "your life is over" club!!!

Thanks and Thanks. I'm still getting used to the feeling of a ring on my finger. I told my wife (that sounds weird!) that it feels like someone is squeezing my finger. She said, Yeah, that's me! I laughed but I probably should have cried. My dad thought it was hilarious...he's clearly on her side!

 

[WSurf]

prop brake provides A/c?

And now that your married!!! You ain't gonna be cool anymore!! All coolness is lost once you marry.

 

[FlyingDawg]

Saab 340s are equipped with prop brakes but almost all 121 operators have tied them off because they don't want rampers to get associated with walking around running engines while the prop is locked. They feared that they would eventially walk into a spinning prop.

 

[OPECJet]

Thanks and Thanks. I'm still getting used to the feeling of a ring on my finger. I told my wife (that sounds weird!) that it feels like someone is squeezing my finger. She said, Yeah, that's me! I laughed but I probably should have cried. My dad thought it was hilarious...he's clearly on her side!

Might be your finger, now, but give it a few months. That feeling will move south.

Seriously, congrats!

 

[vtchaz]

Saab 340s are equipped with prop brakes but almost all 121 operators have tied them off because they don't want rampers to get associated with walking around running engines while the prop is locked. They feared that they would eventially walk into a spinning prop.

Actually the Saab 340's prop brake was never certified in the US because of some original design problems. That is the reason no US 121 operator has them.

 

[HoserASA]

not sure how well it works. never flew it.

Flew it for a couple years, and the electrical portion works great. The bleed air for A/C sucks when the temperature gets in the 80s, and for all practical purposes really sucks when it's in the 90s, like it gets here in ATL. And the ground A/C carts usually suck too because they're not maintained.

Once in a great while that prop brake will let go and there goes the prop! So, don't ever walk up one that's being braked, just like your CFI told you about the prop on a C-150!

 

[chperplt]

She said, Yeah, that's me! I laughed but I probably should have cried

Yes, you should have cried!

In all seriousness...Congratulations and I'm sure you'll have a great life!!

 

[CEO silly sap]

and always remember to RELEASE the PROP BRAKE PRIOR TO TAKEOFF......

 

[Huck]

Once in a great while that prop brake will let go

I flew it for 1000 hours and had that happen TWICE.

It was put on because nobody in the US wanted to pay for the certification of an APU. And who needs packs on the ground in Atlanta, right?

The brake is a death trap and sucks huge gas and creates huge fumes (2700 SHP engine). ASA got sued one time because a guy breathed in a bunch of exhaust, standing in line to board with a brisk crosswind.

Right after Eastern went under we were at D, and C was abandoned. Captains would talk the rampers into towing the aircraft over to the shadow of C before boarding to try and cool off.

 

[FlyingDawg]

Actually the Saab 340's prop brake was never certified in the US because of some original design problems. That is the reason no US 121 operator has them.

I know of at least one Part 91 operator in the US who uses it.

 

[T-prop]

Out of 30+ ATR's @ Eagle only has 2-3 with a the working propbrake. They were too cheap for an APU so, they decided to jimmiyrig a brake for the prop on the right eng. They have deactivated most of them here, due to maint. cost. In the long run they saved very little $ by not having an APU on the ATR because they need 2X's as many rampers to service an ATR for a quickturn in order to connect an air cart that is also a maintenance hog, not to mention that it takes an extra 5-10 minutes to pull it up, connect it, unconnect it, pull it away etc.

 

[Captain X]

Almost all XJT's ATRs had the prop brake on eternal deferral.

 

[B1900 Mech]

It was not to good for that power turbine,glowing and cooking away in that exaust stream.Not to mention the clutch engagement's in flight.

 

[jehtplane]

We use ours all the time and have never had any trouble with them.