Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Communication Breakdown
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Other / Unknown
General None Reported / Taken
Aircraft; Human Factors
This report applies to multiple [CRJ-200] aircraft. In the past approx year there has been a noticeable change to the Thrust Lever Quadrant on most of the CRJ-200 fleet. I do not know if this is a result of a change in maintenance or if the aircraft are simply getting old; but it is potentially a huge safety issue. The throttles are much tighter /harder to move than they should be. In most cases the friction lock will not even move; if it does; it doesn't loosen the throttles at all. Whenever I have throttles like this the thrust reversers are almost always even tighter. In a few instances the thrust [reverser] levers are so tight that the only way I would be able to physically deploy them would be to intentionally injure my wrist (due to the strength that would be required). As we do not test the thrust reversers; this problem is not found until the landing roll. The threat [is] finding out that the thrust levers cannot be pulled at a time when you are counting on them; i.e. on a short or contaminated runway. Other crews do not write them up; because while they might seem tight; they are still able to deploy them. It does not occur to them that some would most likely find the reversers difficult to impossible to deploy.Maintenance needs to change the way they are inspecting and/or maintaining the throttle quadrant. I have flown this airplane eight years now; only recently has this been an issue.
A First Officer reports about a noticeable change to the force required to move the thrust levers; almost to the point of injury; on multiple CRJ-200 aircraft. Throttles are much tighter-harder to move and the friction lock most times does not move. Thrust Reversers are even tighter and cannot be pulled at a time when you are counting on them; such as; on a short or contaminated runway.