Boeing 767 inquiry?

Question

When I used to live in the northeast, I would fly Continental Airlines from Newark to Houston on the B767....and then onto Veracruz, Mexico on the Embraer 146 (great little jet that sucker is...).

Of all the Boeing aircraft I've flown on, the 767 seems to be the only one that does not utilize thrust reverse. I also noticed that on approach, thet are very bumpy low-speed flyers.

So it's really 2 questions:

1) Why no thrust reverse on the B767
2) Are they historically not so good low-speed flyers?

Answer 1

1) Why no thrust reverse on the B767

They certainly do have it. Here's a pic- http://www.airliners.net/open.file/0503632/M/
However, it is not required to use it, esp if the runway is very long there is no need. All commercial aircraft must be able to stop on brakes alone as part of their certification under F.A.R Part 23.

Now that Embraer RJ on the other hand...at my airline the use of reverse on runways <7,000ft is discouraged so as to limit wear and stress the reverser hinge (apparently they break often).

2) Are [767s] historically not so good low-speed flyers?

Not at all. The "bumpyness" is due to the winds the aircraft was flying through at the time. It has nothing to do with the aircrafts "low speed" flying capability.

Answer 2

All commercial aircraft have the ability to use reverse thrust. Depending on the runway length, weight of the aircraft, and the company SOP's a pilot might not choose to deploy the thrust reverser's because he or she has enough runway to roll the landing out and slow the aircraft by brakes only. The majority of the time thrust reversers are used.

To my knowledge 767 do not have the characteristics of being unstable during flight at low speeds. A lot of outside variables could have contributed to the bumpy approach; ie. windy, hot day, aircraft was in-trail of another larger aircraft.

Answer 3

1. They most certainly do have thrust reversers.
2. 'Bumpy' has nothing to do with the 'low-speed' of the approach. The 767 flys very well at any speed at which it was designed to fly.