Originally Posted by
KC10 FATboy
If you didn't pop the TRs or hit the brakes, the plane would eventually stop. I didn't say they were useless, and in the 145, they might make a difference. In the planes where I've had them, they only changed the ground roll by a few hundred feet --- yes, a few hundred feet. Sure, that could save your behind in a situation like this. Slats, flaps, and spoilers (not to mention brakes) were more important to the landing ground roll.
However, the point was, and still is, we have no idea what happened and the lack of TRs is premature at best.
I'm guessing that figure you're providing is for dry (possibly grooved) pavement. I'm also going to guess that when the stopping power of your brakes is near zero, as in a hydroplaning situation, the effects of TR's might be more significant than the "few hundred feet" your dry runway scenario suggests. I'm no aeronautical engineer, but I'm going to throw my hat into the "145 TR's make a huge difference" ring. Especially on slick surfaces.