They are not used in flight but they are monitored at all times. Most likely they got a "REV UNSAFE" or similar warning message on the EICAS. As another poster said, chances are it was a bad microswitch, not the reverser deploying. Once the message is there you have to follow the QRH checklists. On the CRJ "REV UNSAFE" is and Emergency checklist and it call for landing at nearest suitable airport. On the CRJ-700 there are multiple messages associated with the reversers and only "REV DEPLOYED" calls for shutting the engine down and landing at the nearest suitable. The others (REV UNLOCKED, REV UNSAFE and REV INOP) are caution messages requiring abnormal, not emergency procedures. If the message calls for an Emergency checklist it is normal to have the trucks roll as a precaution. As it was pointed out, reversers deploying in flight can bring down an aircraft. In the excellent series of books "Air Disaster" by MacAurthur Job, it is pointed out that the Lauda Air 767 crew over Thailand had 6 seconds to save the aircraft after the reverser deployed. After that the airframe was structurally damaged beyond recovery. Tom ---- Gerard M Foley <gfoley@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > From: "Blaine Thompson" <blaine@xxxxxxxx> > > Sent: Monday, February 20, 2006 8:44 AM > <snip> > 2. My Uncle and Aunt recently did SEA-DTW-MIA-MSP-SEA on NW. On the > > return MIA-MSP-SEA itinerary, their flight from MIA was in the air > > when the pilot announced they were returning to MIA with one reverse > > thruster failed (A320). Plane landed without incident (however, with > > the usual cadre of emergency vehicles flanking the runway). > <snip> > > Little strange to try a thrust reverser while in flight? Better check > it before takeoff, if at all. I didn't think thrust reverser > operability was required anyway. > > Gerry > http://www.pbase.com/gfoley9999/ > http://www.wilowud.net/ > http://home.columbus.rr.com/gfoley > http://www.fortunecity.com/victorian/pollock/263/egypt/egypt.html