737 flames on reverse thrust?

[ChrisUK]

Hi all,

I was on a B737-200 on Tuesday and we were landing at London Stansted (UK) in rainy/windy weather... they didn't touch down until a good bit down the runway then hammered on full reverse thrust... on looking out the window I saw sparks/flames spurting out the back of the Pratt&Whitney engine  :o

Is this normal?  I've never seen another plane do that - needless to say, I think I left a small package on the seat after that!  :D

Also, I had a whistling emergency exit on the wing-seat on the return flight which was also a 737-200.  Is that normal?  Or is it an accident waiting to happen?  It stopped after about 5-10 mins into the flight and then started on landing again...

It's fascinating to ride in ancient planes!  8)

- Chris

[Tequila Sunrise]

Never seen flames from reverse thrust on airliners, though its common in the military, as to the whistling exit all I can't think of anything that wouldn't have grounded the the plane

[ChrisUK]

Yeah, the whistling emergency exit was a bit worrying! At first it sounded like one of the air-con nozzles on full blast but my friend put his hand up to the corner of the exit and it stopped the noise Quite scary!  It was a 1980 737-200 so maybe that explains it!?

- Chris

[ozzy72]

Which airline was this? Del-Boy Skyways? Let me know Chris, just so I can avoid using them!

Ozzy

[Craig.]

Which airline was this? Del-Boy Skyways? Let me know Chris, just so I can avoid using them!

Ozzy

as long as you dont get your ticket from the back of a yellow 3 wheel van you should be ok

[Deputy]

In older planes, if you still have a forward thrust output in the engines, and the PIC (Pilot In Command) pulls the throttle back to quickly, it can cause any unused fuel to burn.

[ChrisUK]

The airline was Ryanair... www.ryanair.com.

The prices are good but a bit scary if you look at the planes more closely.

[Craig.]

i dont think an airline like that would allow one of their planes to fly if they were not airworthy, but from the sound of it that planes due for its check up soon.  remember though not all seats are as cheap as you got yours, i have seen seats at one time of the day being that cheap go back a few hours later and for the same flight they have gone right up, so they will have made a tidy profit from the flight most likely(but am prob wrong) as for the plane we have a ryan air 737-200 fly into bristol at least three times a week i will have to go upto the airport and have a look at one landing to see if its a common thing with them.

[ChrisUK]

The reg of the one with the whistling emergency exit was EI-CNS and its recognisable given that it looks a thousand years old and is almost all white without the usual Ryanair blue and yellow livery.

The one that spouts flames on landing was EI-CNV in the Ryanair blue/yellow livery.

Both are 737-200's.  None of the other flights I have been on have ever produced flames, I don't think anyone even noticed... only the whole of the cabin noticed when I spoke too loudly though!  ;D

- Chris

[SilverFox441]

A whistling emergency exit is nothing strange.

You point out that it happened only shortly after takeoff and just before landing...?

What I expect (and have seen before) is that the exit is pulled in slightly from it's flush exterior position. When the aircraft pressurizes (about 5 min after takeoff) the panel is pushed to it's normal flush fitting. It stays there until the plane depressurizes on descent and then pulls back in.

Had a main exit (pax door) on a Falcon 20 do the same thing...loads of tests followed by a decision that everything was fine.

[ChrisUK]

Cool!  :D Yep that's what my friend thought when we were talking about the emergency exit.  But when you're sitting next to it and can't do anything, strange things go through your mind! Lol.  :)

Does anyone know the price of aviation fuel?  I can't see how Ryanair can make money.

- Chris

[Tequila Sunrise]

a lot

[reef]

whistling exits are quite common but nothing to worry about the seal sometimes does not sit on the airframe correctly because of ingress of dirt but will normally stop whistling of its own accord when the dirt disappears or the seal is cleaned this also happens on the main doors because of course they are being opened and closed more frequently and are more susceptable

[Ronnie]

As to the fuel costs, it varies from place to place. 100LL, on average in te U.S., is somewhere around two dollars/gal. This can be varified on Airnav. I'm sure jet fuel is considerably more.

[Ivan]

ryanair will tank where it's cheapest, land where it's cheapest and buy it's aircraft where it can get them the cheapest.

conclusion: ryanair is a cheap-ass airline

and airliners.net had loads of discussions of whacky ryanair aircraft too, so not that uncommon