Unit 10

THRUST REVERSAL

Dialogue
Ben: We’ve been talking about aircraft and the effect they have on the
environment. But it’s not just a matter of the horrible noise they make.
Chris: No. Airports too create problems. As planes become heavier and faster,
they need longer runways that swallow up more and more precious land.
Mr. North: Designers are aware of this. That’s why so much research is going into
the development of vertical take-off and S. T. O. L. aircraft.
Ben: S. T. O. L.? What does that stand for? 1
Mr. North: The letters are for Short Take Off and Landing.
Chris: That’s all very fine, but 2 aren’t there less revolutionary ways of slowing
down a plane?
Ben: You bet there are! 3 Didn’t you know that the disc brakes you find on so
many cars today were first developed for aeroplanes?
Mr. North: That’s true. But even disc brakes are inadequate on runways that are wet
or covered by snow and ice.
Chris: Some planes deploy small parachutes on landing, but personally I’ve
never thought much of that idea.
Ben: No, it does seem a bit primitive. With propeller-driven planes, of course,
the problem has already been solved simply by reversing the *pitch of
the blades.

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Mr. North: And a very efficient method it is, too. Some of these planes can even taxi
backwards!
Chris: Yes, I once saw a military transport plane do that. I could hardly believe
my eyes!
Mr. North: I’m sure you couldn’t, but let’s keep to the point. 4 Most modern planes
don’t have propellers; so how do you stop a jet?
Ben: Turn the engine round and make it blow the other way!
Chris: Oh, don’t be silly, Ben
Mr. North: He’s not quite as silly as you might think, Chris. Perhaps it isn’t practical
to turn the whole engine round, but there is nothing to stop you
deflecting the flow of the exhaust gases forwards. In fact it’s a method
that’s used both when the plane is in flight, to make a more rapid rate of
descent possible, and for braking purposes as it lands.
Ben: you see, Chris, I’m not as stupid as I look. But how is the airflow
reversed, Mr. North?
Mr. North: Well, you tell me.
Ben: Let me see. If you blocked off the exhaust exit. . . .
Chris: I’ve got it! Look at this diagram. *Bucket doors or clamshell doors are
fitted near the rear of the engine. In normal flight they lie *flush with the
sides of the engine, allowing the gases to pass without hindrance.

Ben: In that position they also *seal off the forward-facing *thrust reverser
ducts that lead to the outside atmosphere.
Chris: Then, when the plane lands, the pilot operates a lever and the doors close,
blocking off the normal exit for the exhaust gases.
Ben: As they close, they uncover the thrust reverser ducts. . .

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Mr. North: . . . and the gases are deflected forwards into the outside atmosphere.
Chris: It seems such an obvious method, now we know. But does it really
work?
Mr. North: It does indeed. The doors are operated by pneumatically or hydraulically
operated rams, and are of course built to withstand the high temperature
and pressures of the exhaust gases.
Ben: In a ducted fan engine you could reverse just the flow of the cold by-pass
air. Then heat wouldn’t be such a problem.
Mr. North: That method is used. Folding *blocker doors, or flaps, are fitted so that
in normal flight they allow the cold airstream to pass.
Chris: They also block off the thrust reverser ducts. . .
Ben: . . . and a cowl covers the outside of the duct to give a cleaner line to the
engine, and so reduce drag.
Mr. North: Good. Now, when the doors fold back, they slide the cowl open and re-
direct the cold airstream through the thrust reverser ducts. At the same
time, other doors swing back to *spoil the flow of the hot exhaust gases.
Chris: It all sound quite simple!
Mr. North: I know. But in fact there’s a lot for the pilot to remember. For one thing,
he has to be very careful with his operational technique, and ensure that
thrust reversal is cancelled before the plane speed drops below a certain
point. Otherwise, there can be severe ingestion of dust and grit from the
runway into the engine.
Well, I think that’s all for today, then. Next time we’ll talk about fuel
system.

Conversational expressions

1. stand for: represent

2. That’s all very fine, but. . .: That’s a good idea as far as it goes, but. . .
3. You bet there are!: There certainly are!
4. let’s keep to the point: let’s just talk about the subject we meant to discuss

EXERCISE 1: COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1. What do the letters S.T.O.L. stand for?

2. When are disc brakes least effective?
3. How may propeller-driven planes be braked?
4. How can the exhaust gas flow be deflected forwards in a jet engine?
5. How are the doors actuated?

EXERCISE 2: STRUCTURAL PRACTICE

Notice this structure from the conversation:

The doors are operated by pneumatic or hydraulic rams.

Use this structure to respond to the following questions:

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 Example: How do you operate the doors?

Prompt: pneumatic or hydraulic rams

Response: The doors are operated by pneumatic or hydraulic rams.

Now you do it.

1. How do you operate the doors? pneumatic or hydraulic rams

2. How do you slow down the plane? deflecting the flow of gases
3. How do you reverse the airflow? the use of clamshell doors
4. How do you reduce drag? fitting a cowl
5. How do you drive the compressor? the turbine
6. How do you alter the velocity? restricting the size of the air annulus
7. How do you feed fuel to the nozzle? pumps
8. How do you light the fuel? a spark

EXERCISE 3: PROGRESSIVE SUBSTITUTION DRILL

Statement: You could reverse the flow of the cold by-pass air.

Prompt: the gases

Response: You could reverse the flow of the gases.

Now you do it.

Statement: You could reverse the flow of the cold by-pass air.

Prompts:
1. the gases

2. airflow

3. deflect

4. fit clamshell doors

5. bucket

6. folding blocker

7. They

8. They’ve fitted

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EXERCISE 4: FURTHER STRUCTURAL PRACTICE

Notice this structure:

Aren’t there less revolutionary ways of slowing down a plane?.

Use this structure to complete the following sentences:

1. easier / suppress the noise

2. quieter / increase the velocity
3. more advanced / reduce the turbulence
4. cheaper / cut down the amount of noise
5. more efficient / cool the blades
6. better / attach the impeller

Further Reading

No one who is acquainted with modern airports can consider them beautiful. With
their noise and miles of drab concrete runways, they are disfiguring blots upon the
landscape, an insult to the environment. Yet they must exist, for man will travel, so how
can they be made less objectionable? There seems to be no simple solution to the
problem. The suggestion that they be built in remote areas, and linked to the main
centres of population by helicopter *feeder services, is hardly realistic, for helicopters
are far too extravagant on fuel to be economically viable. No doubt a compromise will
eventually be reached. Concrete will never be anything but ugly; but modern technology
can at least limit its destructive spread by developing aircraft that require shorter
runways. Already thrust reversers are playing their part, and much research is now
being concentrated upon the development of S.T.O.L. aircraft.
Helicopters may never be cheap enough for commercial service, but other new forms
of rapid transport exist. There is the hover-train, for example. Powered by *linear
induction motors, it is both fast and virtually silent, and could well link distant airports
to the towns they serve.

EXERCISE 5: COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1. What type of aircraft need only short runways?

2. Are helicopters likely to become the main link between airports and the towns they
serve?
3. Why are helicopters not suitable?
4. What new forms of land transport are being developed?
5. What are the two main advantages of hover-trains?

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EXERCISE 6

Use the following words and the phrase in sentences of your own to show that you
understand their meaning and use:

1. environment
2. remote areas
3. pitch
4. reverse
5. flush
6. compromise
7. airstream
8. automatically
9. spoil
10. fold
11. solution
12. deflect

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