Taxiing with reversers open?

[crash-proof]

Hi, I'm no expert so I just wanted to check and see if this is normal ops.
I was hangin out by FLL when I noticed a global expresso taxiing by. I found it odd however that for most of the taxi he maintained the reversers opened (???). Maybe for GEX ops that's normal, I don't know.

To finish it off I stuck around till he took off, and man, he must have been light, no runway at all!!!. And what a climb angle!

In comparison a garret-powered Sabre that followed took about 3x as much.


Ok, better get outta here before GVFlyer gives me a lecture on how it's forbidden to talk about the GEX in here!!!

 

[banned username 2]

He was most likely taxiing with the reversers out because he was so light (as confirmed by his rapid climbout) and at idle thrust the aircraft would accelerate too much.

 

[750driver]

We also do it on the Citation X when the weight is light. Taxi speeds are kept to a reasonable pace, and it avoids constant brake wear and passenger discomfort.

 

[crash-proof]

Thanks! I kind of figured that was the case...

 

[Timebuilder]

Three of our five Lears have reversers, but only one has the bucket type (my preference), and we often do the same thing, albeit intermittently.

The darn things just go too fast otherwise, and the brake hydraulics make an annoying "sqweeking" sound in the cockpit every time you get on the brakes.

 

[2000flyer]

We do the same thing in the Falcon 2000. When light, idle thrust will move you along riding the brakes. Having one bucket out helps keep it a normal taxi speed without riding the brakes.

We won't do the same in the Ultra as the engines are low enough to the ground that you'll run the risk of FOD.

Wind direction will play into this as well. A stiff tail wind combined with one bucket out will recycle the exhaust through the inlet and thus into the cabin. I'd just as soon not have the passengers wondering about the exhaust smell coming into the cabin. Just my preference I guess.

2000Flyer

 

[bigD]

Heh - small world.

I was JUST having this discussion with a buddy yesterday after noticing a Citation X taxiing at AUS with its reversers open. We didn't know why...

Crash proof has been reading my mind, apparently...

 

[hogdriver00]

GEX Taxi

It's pretty standard to "drag" the port reverser (that's the left one for you AF types) at most weights for the reasons 750 mentioned. The APU intake is on the other side.

Regardless of what GVFlyer says, she a screamer.

Please let's not start that discussion again GV.

Hog

 

[P3-Adub]

Great Points !

The Challenger's brakes are prone to heating up more than other planes I have flown, we drag a reverser to avoid generating excessive heat because at almost all weights it just accelerates as if you carried more than idle. Even as high as the engines are off of the ground, when there is contaminates on the taxiway, it will kick up snow back onto the wings with the reversers out at idle. Our carbin brakes also make noise. Do this in the C560 like mentioned and you'll get that smelly exhaust back in the cabin.

 

[P3-Adub]

Almost forgot !

The cascading reversers, ie; non-bucket types, are ahead of the exhaust, they use fan bypass duct air only so there is no heating of the unit like you would see in a jet with bucket reversers. Most bucket type reversers have limitations how long they can be deployed and therefore are not used as often. Don't want to heat up the reverser actuators/hydraulic fluid too much I guess.