Manually Opening Thrust Reversers on an Airplane Using Power Team’s Hydraulic Hand Pumps

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Project Details
Industry: Aerospace
Brand Power Team

Overview

Aircraft thrust reversers must be manually opened during maintenance and inspection procedures. Using pumps supplied by the aircraft manufacturer made this process lengthy and physically demanding. A Power Team hydraulic hand pump solution was implemented to improve speed, control, and operator ergonomics while maintaining required pressure limits. 

The Challenge

Maintenance personnel were required to manually open aircraft thrust reversers as part of routine inspection and service procedures. The existing pumps supplied by the aircraft manufacturer made the process time-consuming and required significant physical effort from technicians.
 
Manually opening thrust reversers using a simple hydraulic pump is a lengthy operation that requires both high flow for rapid movement and high pressure for controlled positioning. Excessive handle force increased technician fatigue, and pressure limits had to be strictly controlled to avoid equipment damage.

Solution Presented

The customer selected the Power Team P157 two-speed hydraulic hand pump to manually open the thrust reversers. P157 rapidly advanced the actuating rams at approximately 1400 psi using high oil volume, then automatically shifts to high-pressure, low-volume operation for controlled movement. An integrated safety relief valve prevented pressure from exceeding 10,000 psi, protecting aircraft components during maintenance operations. 

Results

The Power Team P157 hand pump enabled faster and more controlled opening of thrust reversers while reducing operator effort. Maintenance tasks were completed more efficiently, with improved ergonomics and consistent pressure control throughout the operation.
 
By replacing the single speed pumps with a two-speed Power Team pump, technicians typically reduced thrust reverser opening time by approximately 20–35%. The high-volume advance significantly lowered manual pumping cycles, while improved ergonomics reduced operator handle effort by an estimated 30–50%. More consistent hydraulic control also helped minimize technician fatigue and supported safer maintenance practices, contributing to improved overall maintenance productivity without exceeding aircraft pressure limits.

Other Applications

• Aircraft thrust reverser maintenance
• Aircraft inspection and service procedures
• Aerospace hydraulic maintenance applications
• Controlled high-pressure positioning applications

Key Metrics

System Impact & Engineering Advancements

Performance Metrics & Key Achievements

35% 1

Faster Opening Time

50% 2

Less Handle Effort

Consistent Hydraulic Control

Reduced Technician Fatigue

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1. Estimated versus single-speed hand pumps previously supplied by the aircraft manufacturer; not a measured result for this unit. 

2. Estimated from the P157's two-speed design versus single-speed pumps on comparable aircraft maintenance tasks; not measured. 
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