[peabers]

Hydraulics power all major aircraft systems including brakes and nose-wheel steering. I doubt Flight 587 would even have been able to taxi to the runway for takeoff had this "cut line" scenario occurred.

A friend of mine was on a Fokker F-50 that sprung a major leak on the left main landing gear. The fluid was literally gushing out as the plane was taxiing out to the runway. The flight crew had no indication in the cockpit.

I used to work on F-4J AWG-10 radar, and saw a radome full of hydraulic fluid that leaked from the antenna.

[Chad]

I have flown the Fk-100 and any sort of hydraulic leak like you described would trigger a hydraulic "LO QTY" (low quantity) warning light with repetitive aural chimes. The quantity is sensed inside the reservoir, so the lines would have to bleed off before the reservoir level dropped, but that wouldn't take long at 3000 psi. I'll bet the Fk-50 is similar, and can't explain your friend's experience.