Before pushing back.

[JVC_systems]

Hi everyone,
I was wondering if any of you noticed this but when I am in an aircraft before pushing back it seems that the engines are on but before boarding I always check to see if they are (at the airport looking throught the window  :P) and they never seem to be on (at least most of time I looked, I never saw the engine fan spining) so my question is, do they turn the engines on before pushback while people are boarding or is it that enine fans just weren't spining for some reasons or were the engines off? I also remember how the crew said they need to shut down the aircrafts engine due to some problems but before I boarded the aircraft I didn't notice engine fans spin but as soon as I entered the aircraft it felt as if the engines are on. So if they were, how come engine fans weren't spinning? Also is there a way to simulate that in FS2004? Thanks for reading!  :)

[Craig.]

the engines are turned on during pushback or just after. if you see one spinning at the gate slowly thats wind turning it apparently. someone with actual experiance can confirm this, but of all my trips thats how its worked

[scottB727]

I fly a 727 and can share with you that we start the engines before during or after pushback depending on the situation ie braking action, ramp congestion etc.  We never start before the main cabin door is closed and it is not opened until the engines are shut down.  Hope that helps...

Scott

[JVC_systems]

scottB727,
Thanks for the reply. So you don't start the engine before the main door is close as you said because of the noise or because of the exhaust fumes or both? Thanks  :)

[OTTOL]

Mostly to do with wasted fuel, and ground crew safety. Flight crews won't call for "the push" until everyone is onboard, and sometimes they won't be cleared for pushback for up to an hour or more(depending on how busy the airport is(Boston and Newark come to mind!)).  Obviously, you don't want to have the main engines running that long for no reason.

[scottB727]

mostly noise and as was said fuel....  If the door is not closed youre not going anywhere.  The airplane has an APU to power the systems prior to engine stsrt.

[JVC_systems]

That's intersting! Thanks guys.

scottB727
You said that you were a 727 pilot. So I was wondering, how fast and how high does Boeing 727 usually travel? The other day I was reading technical specs on 727 and it mentioned there that it can reach up to 1017km/h. So then how come I heared any 727 travelling that fast? Thanks

[Ronnie]

I thought the reason that the engines weren't started before pushback is that there is danger of passengers being sucked into the engine.

[JVC_systems]

Hmm...Never thought that it could the problem...Well, unless the engines are running on the maximum power. Maybe I am wrong  ::)

[scottB727]

I've never heard of the pax being sucked in.  The reasons are as previously stated.  You might remember that when the 737-300 first came out a ground man or two was sucked in, but they were walking right up to the inlet.   The noise is incredible in front of a jet engine hearing protection is mandatory take a look at the ground crew next time youre out there.

Scott

[Ronnie]

I heard somewhere that a flight attendant was sucked from the cabin when she opened the door prematurely. It may have been due to the airplane not being depressurized yet?

[Wing Nut]

I have a nice little video of a guy being sucked into the engine of a Prowler on a aircraft carrier.  Amazing the amount of pull it has... :-/

[scottB727]

I don't believe the flight attendant story, period.

[loomex]

You know scott, that now you told everybody that you fly a 727, you will now be hit by lots of "what if's", "If I..", "is it true that...", "How come....", etc... Now with that out of the way...


What would happen if a 727 were flying upside down, over the 49th parallel, in November, just after a 300lb man  passes gas, but before the peanuts are passed out and the kid in seat 25b starts screaming?

Thanks for your input on the real questions  Scott

[Wing Nut]

So Scott,  who do you fly for?  :)