Originally Posted by
Greenpen
A very naive question, but how does a plane stop? Is it just brakes on the wheels? The engines always roar after landing but I've never been sure what this is as surely it is not possible to instantly reverse the engine?
I can help you with the last bit - the engines never actually reverse. Instead (dependent on the engine) a cover slides back and the engine thrust is delivered slightly forward/up/down rather than through the rear of the engine, which provides retardation.
Not anywhere near as dramatic nowadays as the old 737-200 engines that had a complete assembly at the back at the engine in some form of clamshell design to provide "reverse thrust".
Someone once told me that the BAe 146/Avro didn't have reverse thrust and just relied on wheel brakes, but I'm not sure if that's true.
I'm sure others will be able to give a much better description than me...