Instructing on a Robin
I've recently had cause to instruct on a Robin DR300/140.
When in flight and the oleo at full extension, the nosewheel is designed to lock in place.
On this aircraft, it locks at about 10º to the right of straight ahead, which means that on landing the aeroplane is likely to veer right. Applying left rudder (instinctively) to correct tends to prevent the mechanism from unlocking leading to some hairy moments and runway edge lights getting too close for comfort.
I've found that a positive nose-down stick deflection immediately after landing tends to solve the problem (as does a blip of park brake which shifts weight onto the nose wheel).
On consulting the POH today, I noticed that it states that the nose wheel should lock 'in line with the aeroplane axis'. On this one it doesn't, as is obvious when you put weight on the tail to raise the nose off the ground and the nose wheel springs to the right as the oleo extends.
The owner of the aeroplane has always insisted that there is no fault, but now I'm not sure.
Is this really a design flaw or or is this particular aeroplane broken and should be grounded?
Any advice appreciated.