Reverse thrust

[Austin Prefect]

Someone's just said 'you know about planes' and asked a question I really ought to know the answer to.

If a twin engined airliner is landing on one engine, can the pilot use reverse thrust?

[M11rph]

Yes, up to a point.

Standard practice would be to select Reverse Idle, which effectively removes the remaining forward thrust component. But if the landing distance available requires it then you can use more.

You need to modulate it such that you can still retain directional control through the aerodynamic forces (rudder) and nosewheel steering, the former reducing as airspeed decreases during the rollout.

It is the same case with an RTO from high speed.