Ask The Pilot

[Mattg]

Why would the slats on a 737 be extended while the aircraft is parked at the gate?



Edit: I just found out this plane got struck by lightning on its last flight. So I suspect this maybe related.

This brings me to a new question: what checks need to be done after landing if a plane is struck by lightning?

 

[AviatorInsight]

Why would the slats on a 737 be extended while the aircraft is parked at the gate?

Edit: I just found out this plane got struck by lightning on its last flight. So I suspect this maybe related.

This brings me to a new question: what checks need to be done after landing if a plane is struck by lightning?

It’s not customary to leave the flaps and slats extended after landing from a suspected or actual lightning strike. Usually after a bird strike we might leave them down for inspection, but engineering may be looking at them as part of their procedure for lightning strike?

The only checks we need to do is on the radio and navigation equipment and write it up in the tech log.