The article is devoted to a pilot study of the reverse-bladed pump. The characteristics of the reverse bladed pump are the identical parameters on flow, the head, power, energy efficiency on direct and the return operating modes (at rotation of a rotor of the pump both in one and to the opposite side). The model reversible axial pump with two impeller versions was tested on an experimental bench. The impellers were distinguished by the shape of the profile in the blade sections. The model reversible pump was structurally a reversible axial impeller placed in a cylindrical chamber. Studies were carried out at different angles of rotation of the impeller blades. The power characteristics of tested versions of the pump (impeller) at the design and under loading (unstable operation) modes are given. Low efficiency of the tested versions of the reversible pump compared to the conventional axial pumps is noted, primarily due to the strong influence of the secondary gradients of the pressure factor. The second reason is the profile separation of the flow from the blade surface, to which the tested reverse pump screens are predisposed.