Originally Posted by
orvil
Timbo, I assess how he rotates on an 800 first. The 900 is a very easy tail strike. If he reefs it off and I get a tail strike warning in the HUD, we're going to have a chat. That's how I do it. We don't have a 900 simulator and they may not have flown one on their IOE. I get them the first time.
You haven't flown a 900. We've already had a couple of tail strikes. I just don't want to be on the list and I don't want to be responsible for someone else being on the list, either.
Now, get off my lawn.
We had the same issues when we first got the 767-300's vs. the -200's. Only it was usually on landing when the auto spoilers popped up, the nose would pop up too, you had to be ready for it and be pushing forward or you might scrape the tail skid.
We just briefed it, "Remember, this is a 300, not a 200, so don't flare too much or the spoilers are going to get you!" I hear the same thing on the jumpseat of the 757-300 on almost every leg. They really land that thing flat...and hard, usually. I know it's a pig, or so I'm told, I never flew it.
I rode on the jumpseat of a brand new 737-900 last month (still had that new car smell!), the Capt. just said to the F/O, "Remember, this is a 900, so rotate slowly."
I heard CAL has scrapped the tail on every one of their 737-900's. Seems Boeing should have put a little roller blade wheel on that tail skid! Or maybe just remove the nose wheel and make it into a Tail Dragger!
