Citation X Question

[guyincognito]

I was at SFO recently and saw two Citation Xs taxing for takeoff. Both of them had their left thrust reversers deployed. (Or at least it looked that way to me.) Why?? Did I just happen to see both of them at a point where they were at the "Number 1 thrust reverser deployed... Check" item?

On another note, United airlines allows you to listen to cockpit communications during flight. Why doesn't Delta do that? Do any other airlines do this?

Thanks!

 

[abenaki]

Hi Guyincognito.....

Re' the TR deployment on the X during taxi......assuming that the crew wasn't checking the emergency stow system for the TR's (in which case BOTH TR's would have been deployed momentarily and then re-stowed), then the left TR was deployed as a braking mechanism for the taxi.

Like a lot of aircraft, taxiing any distance with idle thrust will result in a pretty high speed and riding the brakes not only wears them down but also heats them up at a time when you want all the braking energy available.....should you be unfortunate enough to lose an engine during the takeoff roll and the decision is made at a time that allows for an abort, you want those brakes as cool as possible so that maximum braking energy is available for the abort.

The engines on the X are a bit oversized and it probably has a more pronounced tendency to develop high taxi speeds at idle thrust than a lot of aircraft. Deploying the left TR at speeds above about 20 knots allows for nice braking without a whole lot of risk in ingesting FOD back into the engine with the TR deployed.

As far as listening to ATC on the airlines.....that's strictly an "amenity" offered by some and not by others......

 

[crash-proof]

coincidence, I just happened to post the same question in the corporate forum, in regards to a global xpress i saw doin the same thing.

now we know...

 

[ozpilot]

Some additional info .... The reason its the left and not the right is that the APU inlet is on the right side. If we deploy the right all that exhaust comes into the cabin!