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Quoted: Both the C-17 and the C-130 can back up. Typically the load master lays on the open cargo ramp and talks the pilot through the movement. Thrust reversers on the C-17 and reverse pitch on the C-130s props. The C-130 has a party trick that's only used in very specific circumstances...the "buddy start". One aircraft backs up, or..... View Quote We only talked about the buddy start..few of the guys messed around in the sim simulating head winds parked. The APU's and GTC's were so damn reliable. Don't ever remember having an issue with one. I "think" one time, wrenching an air valve open on the ground. Been a while, I think when I was going through mech training, we were on the road and FE failed it so the FET would have to figure it out, more I think about. |
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Quoted: We use a tiller. It is for steering the nose wheel on the ground. Basically it uses hydraulic power to steer the nose wheel until we are lined up on the runway. At that point we have enough aerodynamic performance on the rudder to make corrections with it. Once we land, we use the tiller again to get from the runway to the gate. View Quote Nick |
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Quoted: Learned something new today. I always figured it was the same as small aircraft and used differential braking of the main gear through the pedals. Nick View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: We use a tiller. It is for steering the nose wheel on the ground. Basically it uses hydraulic power to steer the nose wheel until we are lined up on the runway. At that point we have enough aerodynamic performance on the rudder to make corrections with it. Once we land, we use the tiller again to get from the runway to the gate. Nick While they have differential breaking that can be used, the only planes I’ve flown that don’t have some form of steering were traildraggers. While not everything has it, most do. |
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Quoted: Learned something new today. I always figured it was the same as small aircraft and used differential braking of the main gear through the pedals. Nick View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: We use a tiller. It is for steering the nose wheel on the ground. Basically it uses hydraulic power to steer the nose wheel until we are lined up on the runway. At that point we have enough aerodynamic performance on the rudder to make corrections with it. Once we land, we use the tiller again to get from the runway to the gate. Nick You’re missing part of the equation. We use nose wheel steering, whether it’s a Cessna or a 787. So, let’s say you’re making a 90 degree turn, you’ll use NWS to get you 40% there, then start applying light brake pressure to tighten up the turn radius. So, it’s a combination of all three, but NWS is used the most. Outside of a handful of ancient designs that don’t have NWS, You aren’t supposed to use differential braking for taxi. You can, but it’s bad technique. |
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Now that's a question I often pondered but dared not ask. Thanks OP.
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Quoted: This. If it's a hard turn, look for them to hold their hat out for extra drag. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: Put your arm out the window, the drag turns the aircraft. You have to really strech for the heavy stuff This. If it's a hard turn, look for them to hold their hat out for extra drag. Drop an anchor like in Battleship. |
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Quoted: Now that's a question I often pondered but dared not ask. Thanks OP. View Quote What’s interesting, is that the designs are all different, and it’s not related to size. For example, the small regional commuter aircraft really needed the Tiller, while big modern aircraft have very good nose wheel steering, as well as a tiller. |
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Quoted: Both the C-17 and the C-130 can back up. Typically the load master lays on the open cargo ramp and talks the pilot through the movement. Thrust reversers on the C-17 and reverse pitch on the C-130s props. The C-130 has a party trick that's only used in very specific circumstances...the "buddy start". One aircraft backs up, or more preferably towed, as close as safety allows to the aircraft needing the "jump" (normally due to an APU failure at a remote location) and goes to full thrust. If the winds are favorable and the aviation Gods willing, the prop wash is strong enough to spin the propeller on the disabled aircraft fast enough to achieve ignition. I saw it actually done successfully once in 25 years of deployed ops. CSB: AWACS (and anything else motored with TF-33s, now obsolete) has a little ring on the side of the #3 that allows the ground to override, and manually start, the engine when the starter control valve fails. The aircraft carries a long rocker "hammer" looking tool for just that purpose. You get up on a ladder next to the engine, hook the hammer in the ring on the cowling and when the crew chief gives you the open signal you roll the valve open. When the engine lights off you disconnect, grab your ladder and run. Or I did...you're only a couple of feet behind the intake and it's like pull-starting a 30,000 hp lawnmower. View Quote Wait...you're saying the AF is flying planes with obsolete engines? No way! The B-52 also uses TF-33s, so I assume they can do the same trick but not sure. I think those are the only two left in US inventory though with the retirement of the E-8 and small motor RCs. |
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What's really cool is when the CA decides with the nose wheel tiller steering, is to say steer a large aircraft like say, an L-1011 or any other biggie into the grass rather than staying on the concrete.
Christmastime just arrived for the local heavy truck wrecker service. |
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F16 has a button on the side stick that couples the nose wheel steering with the rudder pedals. It does other weapons stuff while in flight.
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Do PLANES have a STEERING WHEEL? All about NOSE WHEEL STEERING |
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Quoted: So I get how you "steer" an aircraft while in flight, seems like a simple enough process. But take away all the airflow from the control surfaces, super slow groundspeed and that's where I get lost. Now small aircraft like single engine Cessnas etc I can maybe understand making it happen with independent braking, but I don't see that working as well on large airliners. Help me oh great GD! P.S. FU "put it on a treadmill" shitposters! View Quote On planes that have two sets of wheels at the back and one set at the front, the front set is usually steerable. Either a dial that turns the nose wheels (common for larger aircraft) or the rudder pedals also steer the nose wheels. Some have both. They usually also have differential braking On planes that have two sets of wheels at the front and one at the back, the back wheel set is usually not steerable. They have to use differential braking only. There are always exceptions, of course. |
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Quoted: While they have differential breaking that can be used, the only planes I’ve flown that don’t have some form of steering were traildraggers. While not everything has it, most do. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: We use a tiller. It is for steering the nose wheel on the ground. Basically it uses hydraulic power to steer the nose wheel until we are lined up on the runway. At that point we have enough aerodynamic performance on the rudder to make corrections with it. Once we land, we use the tiller again to get from the runway to the gate. Nick While they have differential breaking that can be used, the only planes I’ve flown that don’t have some form of steering were traildraggers. While not everything has it, most do. The Mig21 is a notable exception. No nosewheel steering because Russians do inexplicable things. One of many things about that aircraft that are pants on head retarded. |
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Quoted: What's really cool is when the CA decides with the nose wheel tiller steering, is to say steer a large aircraft like say, an L-1011 or any other biggie into the grass rather than staying on the concrete. Christmastime just arrived for the local heavy truck wrecker service. View Quote On heavy jets there are view points in the cockpit you adjust your seat to, so you’re in the proper position. Then you use reference points, like the bottom corner of a window to align with taxiways to make the proper turn. This is crucial when the nose gear is 18’ behind you. |
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Quoted: The Mig21 is a notable exception. No nosewheel steering because Russians do inexplicable things. One of many things about that aircraft that are pants on head retarded. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: We use a tiller. It is for steering the nose wheel on the ground. Basically it uses hydraulic power to steer the nose wheel until we are lined up on the runway. At that point we have enough aerodynamic performance on the rudder to make corrections with it. Once we land, we use the tiller again to get from the runway to the gate. Nick While they have differential breaking that can be used, the only planes I’ve flown that don’t have some form of steering were traildraggers. While not everything has it, most do. The Mig21 is a notable exception. No nosewheel steering because Russians do inexplicable things. One of many things about that aircraft that are pants on head retarded. Let’s also make our brakes and landing gear air powered off of a bottle that has to be refilled on the ground. |
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Whatever you do, don't ask how you steer large helicopters on the ground!
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Quoted: Let’s also make our brakes and landing gear air powered off of a bottle that has to be refilled on the ground. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: We use a tiller. It is for steering the nose wheel on the ground. Basically it uses hydraulic power to steer the nose wheel until we are lined up on the runway. At that point we have enough aerodynamic performance on the rudder to make corrections with it. Once we land, we use the tiller again to get from the runway to the gate. Nick While they have differential breaking that can be used, the only planes I’ve flown that don’t have some form of steering were traildraggers. While not everything has it, most do. The Mig21 is a notable exception. No nosewheel steering because Russians do inexplicable things. One of many things about that aircraft that are pants on head retarded. Let’s also make our brakes and landing gear air powered off of a bottle that has to be refilled on the ground. And then let's put a big ass fuel tank on top of the jet right behind the cockpit so you can see what is behind you about to kill you. As a secondary advantage, if that tank takes an HEI round, you get to be in the fireball with the fuel. |
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Quoted: By turning the yoke. View Quote Rudder pedals. They are connected to the nose whee too in many tricycle gear planes (except the B-29, it only had a caste ring nose wheel). The nose gear / wheel is connected to the rudder pedals Some big planes like the C-130 have a sort of steering wheel on the side Tail draggers like piper cubs and golden age biplanes usually you steer with the rudder and airflow from the prop over it. The tail wheel usually only is free castering. WWI aero planes often had a fixed skid. WWI areodromes probably didn’t have runways as we think of them now. Just big fields and point your nose into the wind. |
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I have only flown smaller aircraft.
All of them were steered on the ground with the rudder pedals that turned either the nose wheel or tailwheel, including all of the tailwheel aircraft I've flown. |
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I sat in an observer seat for an MD-11 test flight. Was watching the captain use the tiller to taxi and he said “the thing I really have to remember is the nose gear is located 15 feet behind me.”
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Quoted: C-5 pilots I’ve know have said taxiing them was really something else. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: I sat in an observer seat for an MD-11 test flight. Was watching the captain use the tiller to taxi and he said “the thing I really have to remember is the nose gear is located 15 feet behind me.” C-5 pilots I’ve know have said taxiing them was really something else. I think I remember reading something about the XB-70 Valkyrie nose gear was something like 60+ feet behind the pilot. That must have been difficult to taxi. |
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Quoted: We use a tiller. It is for steering the nose wheel on the ground. Basically it uses hydraulic power to steer the nose wheel until we are lined up on the runway. At that point we have enough aerodynamic performance on the rudder to make corrections with it. Once we land, we use the tiller again to get from the runway to the gate. View Quote This is clearly a subject matter expert. Great post. But in GD. Someone with no knowledge or experience will be along soon to refute his post. |
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Quoted: Your question has been answered although every aircraft is a little different. Most transport aircraft and medium/large size corporate aircraft use a tiller... A little "steering wheel", usually on the captains side, that steers the aircraft by turning the nose wheel. Smaller aircraft are mostly steered by the rudder pedals which are connected to the nose wheel. Many small aircraft have a free castering nose wheel and are steered by differential breaking until sufficient air can be moved across the rudder surface so steering can then be accomplished by the rudder. It's my understanding the B-29 was steered in this way... free castering nose wheel and was steered by differential breaking. I'm not sure if it was upgraded to a tiller for the B-50 or the cargo and passenger variants that came later. I fly an Embraer Praetor 600 and that has steer by wire, meaning that we steer using the rudder pedals where an electronic signal is sent to a computer which sends commands to a hydraulic actuator to turn the nose wheel. The computer limits the degree of nose wheel deflection based on our ground speed. 62 degrees up to 10kn, then linearly to 8 degrees at 25kn, then linearly to 3 degrees at 68kn. We are also able to disconnect the steering by a button on our overhead panel or ground crews can disconnect our steering for pushback or towing operations by a switch in the exterior towing panel on the nose of the aircraft. ETA: Reading about the B-29, the earlier models did not have hydraulic steering as I said above. The later model, the B-29D which then was developed into the B-50 had hydraulic nose wheel steering. I would assume the C-97 and Boeing 377 would have also had hydraulic steering. View Quote Beautiful flex. They are gorgeous. |
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Quoted: F16 has a button on the side stick that couples the nose wheel steering with the rudder pedals. It does other weapons stuff while in flight. View Quote That makes sense. My aircraft electrical CDCs (Career Development Course: stack of training manuals you have to complete for skill level upgrade and get tested on for promotion in the AF) had a chapter on F-16 steering. It had chapters on systems of lots of aircraft you'd never see...supposed to give you some greater broad-based knowledge. In any event, when activated each rudder pedal mechanism had a mechanical connection to a resistance "pot" that fed a signal to a hydraulic control valve, porting fluid in the actuators attached to the normally centered nose wheel strut. Seems like the system was initiated (maybe enabled, pilot controlled) by the WoW (weight on wheels) switch, but this is dredging up 35 year old forced rote-memory. |
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Quoted: That makes sense. My aircraft electrical CDCs (Career Development Course: stack of training manuals you have to complete for skill level upgrade and get tested on for promotion in the AF) had a chapter on F-16 steering. It had chapters on systems of lots of aircraft you'd never see...supposed to give you some greater broad-based knowledge. In any event, when activated each rudder pedal mechanism had a mechanical connection to a resistance "pot" that fed a signal to a hydraulic control valve, porting fluid in the actuators attached to the normally centered nose wheel strut. Seems like the system was initiated (maybe enabled, pilot controlled) by the WoW (weight on wheels) switch, but this is dredging up 35 year old forced rote-memory. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: F16 has a button on the side stick that couples the nose wheel steering with the rudder pedals. It does other weapons stuff while in flight. That makes sense. My aircraft electrical CDCs (Career Development Course: stack of training manuals you have to complete for skill level upgrade and get tested on for promotion in the AF) had a chapter on F-16 steering. It had chapters on systems of lots of aircraft you'd never see...supposed to give you some greater broad-based knowledge. In any event, when activated each rudder pedal mechanism had a mechanical connection to a resistance "pot" that fed a signal to a hydraulic control valve, porting fluid in the actuators attached to the normally centered nose wheel strut. Seems like the system was initiated (maybe enabled, pilot controlled) by the WoW (weight on wheels) switch, but this is dredging up 35 year old forced rote-memory. On the F-16 you have a nose-wheel steering toggle on the stick. Source: DCS World, sue me. |
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Wow thanks guys. I had no idea there were so many ways to steer an aircraft.
This place amazes me sometimes. Threads like this reminds me of the very diverse and even cooler experiences you guys have had. Thanks for sharing! |
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In my 30 year career:
Metroliner: rudder British Aerospace ATP: tiller+rudder DC-10: tiller + rudder Cessna Citaion 500 series: rudder Cessna 650: tiller+rudder Hawker: tiller+rudder Falcon 900: tiller only Challenger 300: tiller +rudder |
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Kind of funny….
My BIL just moved to the left seat on 757 and 767 for delta. They only have the tiller on the left side, he hasn’t taxied a large aircraft since way back when he flew the B1. He quote to me. “Oh god, please don’t let me fuck this up!” Said that was his biggest pucker moment switching seats. |
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Quoted: That may happen. What will definitely happen though is shear bolts failing on the bar as you tow. Ask me how I know. Also, our jets have nose wheel steering through he rudder pedals, although with less authority than the tiller. Tricycle wheel Cessnas have nose wheel steering as well OP. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: Small steering wheel on left and right side of the flight deck. Ground peeps have to make sure to install and remove the bypass pin or the tow bar could end up a swinging body bat while hooking and unhooking from the tug. That may happen. What will definitely happen though is shear bolts failing on the bar as you tow. Ask me how I know. Also, our jets have nose wheel steering through he rudder pedals, although with less authority than the tiller. Tricycle wheel Cessnas have nose wheel steering as well OP. Big jets, usually 6-7 degrees deflection through the rudder pedals, and 65-70 degrees deflection through the tiller. The actual definite nose wheel steering deflection depends one the actual airframe type. |
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Quoted: The planes I flew had a tiller on the captain's side. It flowed hydraulic fluid to one or the other side of a hydraulic piston on the nose wheel. So when your obese captain with the bad heart, who has been frauding his medical certificate, drops dead, you gotta pull him out of his seat before you land, get the FO in his seat, or you gotta stop straight ahead on the runway and kill operations for an hour. View Quote Or the Capt has a medical on approach, so the F/O requests a side step over to runway 27R into ATL, but lands on taxiway Mike instead. I was enjoying a pre quitting time cig over by the smoking area on the south end of E concourse, and thought to myself that the 767 was a “little” closer than normal on landing. |
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Quoted: I sat in an observer seat for an MD-11 test flight. Was watching the captain use the tiller to taxi and he said “the thing I really have to remember is the nose gear is located 15 feet behind me.” View Quote L-1011 was even further back, on a taxiway, cross till the opposite side of the taxiway was abeam your shoulder, then cut the tiller over, and you’ll keep the inside main gear on the full strength pavement. |
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Quoted: You're missing part of the equation. We use nose wheel steering, whether it's a Cessna or a 787. So, let's say you're making a 90 degree turn, you'll use NWS to get you 40% there, then start applying light brake pressure to tighten up the turn radius. So, it's a combination of all three, but NWS is used the most. Outside of a handful of ancient designs that don't have NWS, You aren't supposed to use differential braking for taxi. You can, but it's bad technique. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: We use a tiller. It is for steering the nose wheel on the ground. Basically it uses hydraulic power to steer the nose wheel until we are lined up on the runway. At that point we have enough aerodynamic performance on the rudder to make corrections with it. Once we land, we use the tiller again to get from the runway to the gate. Nick You're missing part of the equation. We use nose wheel steering, whether it's a Cessna or a 787. So, let's say you're making a 90 degree turn, you'll use NWS to get you 40% there, then start applying light brake pressure to tighten up the turn radius. So, it's a combination of all three, but NWS is used the most. Outside of a handful of ancient designs that don't have NWS, You aren't supposed to use differential braking for taxi. You can, but it's bad technique. Nick |
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I have a Tiller by my left knee. Its basically a big ass steering wheel with a parking brake button in the middle.
Fun fact, the chinook also had a tiller, but it was on the back of the center console, and it steered the back right landing gear. Ground taxi in the Chinook was a 2 pilot affair. The left seat steered, the right seat added thrust. |
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Quoted: Hmmm… Power to 1 or 4 with braking to wheel on that side only? Alternating sides and kinda walk/swing it backwards? View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: Using breaks and differential engine thrust, a B-17 can be backed up Hmmm… Power to 1 or 4 with braking to wheel on that side only? Alternating sides and kinda walk/swing it backwards? Yup Throttle up #4 , right brake, left wing goes back. |
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Quoted: That may happen. What will definitely happen though is shear bolts failing on the bar as you tow. Ask me how I know. Also, our jets have nose wheel steering through he rudder pedals, although with less authority than the tiller. Tricycle wheel Cessnas have nose wheel steering as well OP. View Quote Answered my question before I even posted it. Thanks! |
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Quoted: How do you know there are aviation ignorant folks here who think Iron Eagle is a documentary? Don't worry, they'll post garbage, act like experts, and agrue with us real aviators. View Quote This is the nature of GD. On the internet, everybody is an SME. Not my rule, just my experience. |
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Quoted: The 747 has a tiller on each side so either of us can drive. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/432675/IMG_6769_jpeg-3315477.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/432675/IMG_6770_jpeg-3315478.JPG View Quote Do you ever go in the opposite direction of whoever is supposed to be driving just to fuck with them? Cuz I would totally do that. |
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Quoted: I think the big Airbus aircraft have the tail camera and superimposed lines over the MLG to make this easier. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: C-5 pilots I’ve know have said taxiing them was really something else. I think the big Airbus aircraft have the tail camera and superimposed lines over the MLG to make this easier. The 350 has that as an option, but it’s not standard equipment. |
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Quoted: The 747 has a tiller on each side so either of us can drive. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/432675/IMG_6769_jpeg-3315477.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/432675/IMG_6770_jpeg-3315478.JPG View Quote Thanks for the pics @TimeOnTarget that helps me get my head around my original question. I'm gonna assume by the Flag/Aero sticker on the tablet that this your ride? |
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with your feet or with a tiller wheel that steers the nose wheel.
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