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Old 3rd February 2001 | 21:01
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BIK_116.80
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Consider the Fairchild Metroliner and Merlin series of aircraft (SA226/SA227).

These aircraft have hydraulically powered, electrically controlled nose wheel steering capable of operation between 63 degrees left and 63 degrees right. Pilot inputs to the nose wheel steering include an on-off switch, a park switch, and the rudder pedals.

When the on-off switch is on, the pilot and co-pilot rudder pedals control the nose wheel steering, but full rudder pedal deflection can only call for a maximum of 10 degrees nose wheel deflection. This arrangement works well for normal taxing and for take offs and landings.

When the on-off switch is on, and the pilot holds down a push-on, momentary action park mode switch for a period of 12 seconds the maximum nose-wheel deflection is progressivly increased from 10 degrees to 63 degrees. This mode allows very tight turns and acurate parking, but would be far too sensitive for take-offs and landings. When the park mode switch is released the maximum nose wheel deflection is progessively reduced from 63 degrees to 10 degrees over a 12 second period.

Interestingly, on the SA226TC Metro II (which is 60 ft 6 inches long, but has a wing span of only 40 ft 6 inches) with 63 degrees nose wheel steering it is quite possible during a very tight turn to miss an obstacle with the wing tip, but clobber it with the tail. Its happened before, and no doubt will happen again.