Originally Posted by
Tango and Cash
Wouldn't the additional drag, vibration, grinding noises be very noticeable during the takeoff roll/skid?
That is what I would expect too, but, obviously, one crew managed to do it - it is well described in Airbus Newsletter referred above. In short: as alowed by MEL, A/C was dispatched with NLG steering off - meaning in free-castor mode, maintaining directional control by differential braking and assymetric thrust. (there are several small A/C and also tri-cycle wheeled helicopters with NLG free-castor as normal operating mode-no connection between pedals/tiller and NLG itself at all) But, in A-320, if 25 degree limit of steering angle is exceeded, wheels will not return to neutral at the end of turn, but will continue towards 90 deg. And that happened with said flight, when crew performed 180 deg turn on the runway before take-off. They did not notice they are grinding rubber and then wheel rims during take-off roll, which sounds impossible, but obviously, it is possible. Airbus intends to remove this free-castor operation from MMEL. I am a bit surprised they allowed it in the first place, as exceeding 25 deg is really easy and there is no indication to the pilot it has happened.