Airbus says Brazil jet OK to fly without reverser

Planemaker Airbus (EAD.PA: Quote, Profile, Research) (EAD.DE: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Friday that the type of aircraft involved in Tuesday's air crash in Sao Paulo can fly for up to 10 days with a broken thrust reverser.
Debate over the cause of Brazil's worst air crash has shifted from the slick runway to the aircraft's braking systems after it was disclosed one of the A320 airliner's thrust reversers was not operating at the time of the accident.
Nearly 200 people were killed in the crash.
"The A320 Master Minimum Equipment List approved by the certification authorities stipulates that the aircraft can fly for up to 10 days with a thrust reverser inoperative," said an Airbus spokeswoman at its Toulouse, France, headquarters.
Aviation experts say thrust reversers complement the brakes but are not the aircraft's primary braking system and that it is usually safe to fly without them.
That means reversers are not part of the mandatory features on an aircraft -- known as the "Minimum Equipment List," or MEL.
But the advantage to airlines and pilots is that they reduce wear on brakes and can shorten landing distances when needed. Brakes are among the costliest items to maintain.
"Thrust reversers are considered to be nice to have but are not essential kit," said David Learmount, Operations and Safety Editor at Flight International magazine.
"Thrust reversers are not on the MEL so no rules were broken, said Learmount, who is also a former professional pilot.