Another beginner Q

[Ramapriya]

I remember seeing a button on the A320 flight deck for disconnection of
the nosewheel steering control. I also remember the cap'n saying that
that's used during the push-back of the aircraft. He mentioned some
reason for that but I don't recall what; possibly something to do with
the hydraulics not getting accidentally triggered off or something like
that.

Can someone get me up to speed on this?
Cheers,

Ramapriya

[Denny]

Wrong group... Try airliner groups..

Denny

[BTIZ]

for all of your questions... you are concentrating on the A320... why not
smaller aircraft that you could be learning to fly in?

Every "airliner" or large aircraft, the nosewheel steering control will be
different in some fashion. Older airliners actually had a "tiller" on the
cockpit left side wall.

My nose wheel control switch actually had different functions, on the
ground, it would engage nosewheel steering control to the rudder pedals, in
the air, it would (a) select transponder ident feature (b) during air
refueling it would disconnect the AR boom.. just to name a couple of things.

BT

"Ramapriya" > wrote in message
ups.com...
>I remember seeing a button on the A320 flight deck for disconnection of
> the nosewheel steering control. I also remember the cap'n saying that
> that's used during the push-back of the aircraft. He mentioned some
> reason for that but I don't recall what; possibly something to do with
> the hydraulics not getting accidentally triggered off or something like
> that.
>
> Can someone get me up to speed on this?
> Cheers,
>
> Ramapriya
>
>

[Steven P. McNicoll]

"Ramapriya" > wrote in message
ups.com...
>
> I remember seeing a button on the A320 flight deck for disconnection of
> the nosewheel steering control. I also remember the cap'n saying that
> that's used during the push-back of the aircraft. He mentioned some
> reason for that but I don't recall what; possibly something to do with
> the hydraulics not getting accidentally triggered off or something like
> that.
>
> Can someone get me up to speed on this?
>

I can't say for certain, but I can probably make a pretty good guess.
During push-back the airplane is moved backward via a tug and towbar
attached to the nose gear. The nose gear must be free to turn to permit the
tug driver to steer the aircraft. The nose wheel steering system would tend
to resist his efforts if it was engaged.

[Don Hammer]

>
>I can't say for certain, but I can probably make a pretty good guess.
>During push-back the airplane is moved backward via a tug and towbar
>attached to the nose gear. The nose gear must be free to turn to permit the
>tug driver to steer the aircraft. The nose wheel steering system would tend
>to resist his efforts if it was engaged.
>

I am not familiar with the 320, but all large aircraft have hydraulic
steering. Usually, the scissors are disconnected prior to towing, but
that company may elect not to for push back. In any case, it is most
likely a safety issue as bumping the tiller or rudder fine steering
while someone is trying to handle the tow bar or hook up the scissors
could make them loose some body parts. Some Boeings I am familiar
with have a switch above the nose strut so the tow person can turn off
the steering for the same reason.




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[Don Hammer]

BTW - I'm sure there are others who frequent this site that are like
me. I work in the large aircraft world and play with the small ones.
I welcome any large aircraft questions and I'll be the first to ask
about the small ones. There are no stupid questions with the
exception of the un-asked one.

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[Ramapriya]

BTIZ wrote:
> for all of your questions... you are concentrating on the A320... why
not
> smaller aircraft that you could be learning to fly in?

BT, the A320 cockpit is the only I've seen till date. And chances are
that, although I've fervent interest in aviation, I won't get to fly
*anything*, with my personal financial position, as stated earlier
here.

That's possibly why many don't respond to my idle Qs these days :)
Cheers,

Ramapriya

[Ramapriya]

BTIZ wrote:
> for all of your questions... you are concentrating on the A320... why
not
> smaller aircraft that you could be learning to fly in?

BT, the A320 cockpit is the only I've seen till date. Although I've a
feverish interest in aviation, chances are that with my financial
position, I won't be flying *anything* in life. I've stated so earlier
too here, which is possibly why many don't respond to my idle Qs these
days :)

Cheers,

Ramapriya

[David CL Francis]

On Wed, 29 Dec 2004 at 08:10:51 in message
om>, Ramapriya
> wrote:
>I remember seeing a button on the A320 flight deck for disconnection of
>the nosewheel steering control. I also remember the cap'n saying that
>that's used during the push-back of the aircraft. He mentioned some
>reason for that but I don't recall what; possibly something to do with
>the hydraulics not getting accidentally triggered off or something like
>that.

Isn't this simply because during 'push back' the towing bar is locked
to the nose wheel so that the tug can turn the aircraft as is pushes it
back?

Otherwise the nose wheel steering could be damaged by the tow.
--
David CL Francis

[Capt.Doug]

>"Ramapriya" wrote in message >
> I remember seeing a button on the A320 flight deck for disconnection of
> the nosewheel steering control.

The nose wheel steering can overpower the towbar. That can cause the towbar
to break, or the airplane to break, or the human operator to break. On some
other types of aircraft, the nose wheel steering is disconnected when the
rudder gains authority with airspeed.

D.