REV FAIL: Responding to Reverser Failures

When you're rolling down the runway after touchdown, thrust reversers are one of your primary tools for deceleration. But what happens when they fail? How does this change your landing technique, and why do the procedures vary based on which reversers are still working? Understanding reverser failures isn't just about following checklists—it's about adapting your deceleration strategy to maintain safety margins when one of your key stopping tools is compromised.

How Thrust Reversers Work in Your Deceleration Strategy

The A320/A321 uses thrust reversers as part of an integrated deceleration system that includes wheel brakes, ground spoilers, and aerodynamic drag. During a normal landing, you select reverse thrust immediately after main gear touchdown, typically using REV MAX—at least initially—for maximum deceleration effectiveness. The reversers redirect engine thrust forward, creating a powerful braking force that's especially valuable in the first moments after touchdown when wheel braking is less effective due to reduced weight on the landing gear.

The system is designed with redundancy in mind. Each engine has its own independent reverser system, so if one fails, you still have significant deceleration capability from the remaining operative reverser. This redundancy becomes critical when considering that reverser failures can occur either as in-flight malfunctions (detected before landing) or deployment failures during the landing roll itself.

When At Least One Reverser Remains Operative

If you have at least one working reverser, your landing technique remains largely unchanged from normal procedures. You'll still select reverse thrust on both engines during landing—the operative reverser will deploy normally while the failed one simply won't respond. This is where understanding the system's logic becomes important: the aircraft doesn't prevent you from selecting reverse thrust just because one side has failed.

During the landing roll, if you see the "ENG 1(2) REVERSER FAULT" ECAM caution appears after selecting reverse thrust, this confirms that one reverser is inoperative while the other is working. The key insight here is that this message appears after you've already selected reverse thrust, not before. This means you proceed with normal reverser selection procedures, and the ECAM simply informs you of the asymmetric condition.

The operative reverser still provides substantial deceleration force. While you've lost some stopping power compared to having both reversers, the remaining reverser, combined with wheel brakes and ground spoilers, typically provides adequate deceleration for most landing scenarios. However, this is where your landing performance calculations become critical—if you dispatched knowing about the reverser failure, your landing distance calculations should already account for this reduced capability.

When No Reversers Are Operative

The complete loss of reverse thrust capability significantly changes your landing technique and requires a fundamental shift in your deceleration strategy. With no reversers available, you must avoid selecting reverse thrust entirely during both rejected takeoffs and landings. This means keeping both thrust levers at the IDLE detent throughout the landing roll and relying entirely on wheel brakes, ground spoilers, and aerodynamic drag for deceleration.

This scenario demands increased awareness of your deceleration performance. Without the immediate stopping power that reversers provide in the first moments after touchdown, wheel braking becomes your primary active deceleration method. The ground spoilers become even more critical, as they not only reduce lift (increasing weight on the landing gear for better brake effectiveness) but also provide significant aerodynamic drag.

Your technique must adapt to this limitation. Ensure that ground spoilers deploy properly. If they don't extend automatically, verify the thrust levers are at IDLE or move both reverser levers to REV while applying full brake pressure, for example. Interestingly, even with failed reversers, this action will still deploy the ground spoilers automatically if they weren't armed, because the spoiler system responds to the movement of the reverser levers regardless of actual reverser operation.

Understanding the Operational Impact

The loss of reverse thrust affects more than just your stopping distance—it changes your entire approach to landing planning and execution. During your descent preparation, if you know the reversers are inoperative, your landing performance calculations must reflect this limitation. You cannot credit reverse thrust in your landing distance computations, which may require longer runways or lighter landing weights.

The failure also impacts your rejected takeoff capabilities. If you're dispatched with inoperative reversers, your V1 speed and takeoff performance calculations must account for the reduced deceleration capability during a high-speed abort. This typically results in reduced takeoff weights or longer runway requirements.

From a crew coordination perspective, reverser failures require clear communication and task sharing. The pilot monitoring must be prepared to assist with monitoring deceleration performance more closely, as the pilot flying will need to rely more heavily on manual braking techniques. The arrival briefing should specifically address the reverser status and how it affects your landing technique.

Connecting System Knowledge to Operational Decisions

Understanding why these procedures exist helps you make better decisions when facing reverser failures. The reason you continue to select reverse thrust when at least one reverser is operative isn't just procedural—it's because the system is designed to handle asymmetric operation safely. The operative reverser provides a significant deceleration benefit, and the flight controls can manage any asymmetric thrust effects during the landing roll.

Conversely, when no reversers are operative, avoiding reverse thrust selection isn't just about preventing system damage—it's about not creating false expectations for deceleration performance. If you habitually select reverse thrust and expect the associated deceleration, you might not apply adequate wheel braking when the reversers don't respond.

The emphasis on flight crew briefing for reverser failures reflects the reality that these failures change your normal flow patterns. Your muscle memory expects to select reverse thrust after touchdown, but with failed reversers, you must consciously modify this technique. The briefing ensures both pilots understand the modified procedures and can monitor each other's performance accordingly.

This knowledge transforms reverser failure from a simple procedural response into an integrated understanding of how the failure affects your entire deceleration strategy, from approach planning through rollout completion.

A320 reverser failure and what it means for your stopping strategy – how to adapt landing technique when one or both reversers are inoperative.