"Bob Moore" wrote ..
Amine wrote
As a side question, what is the functional difference between spoilers
and airbrakes?

Spoilers and Speedbrakes are the same panels on top of the wings
of Transport Category Aircraft. They deploy symmmetrically when
activated by the Speedbrake handle and asymmetrically when
activated by the aileron control (yoke).


I fly a lot as passenger in the BAe 146 (or Avro RJ) which has a different
arrangement. It has a speedbrake in the tailcone, which is often deployed on
short final. On top of the wings are spoilers, but I think they are only
used as ground spoilers to dump lift and put weight on the wheels to assist
braking (the RJ has no thrust reversers, presumably for noise reasons). I
know the plane was conceived as a STOL type for the London City Airport and
similar, but can anyone tell more about why this particular
speedbrake/spoiler configuration was chosen?