PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Spanair accident at Madrid
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Old 27th Aug 2008, 01:43
  #1018 (permalink)  
md80fanatic
 
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When the aircraft made those tracks, it must have been traveling in excess of 130 knots or more. The nose wheel is not particularly effective at this speed while on pavement, and should be even less effective off of it. For the nose wheel to remain in a visible straight line while all else rotates around it, would take incredible energy (proportional to the distance between the nose wheel and the actual center of rotation of the aircraft). I imagine the spoilers being out...adding to the weight felt over the mains and contributing to the lightened nose. The nose wheel was probably physically on the ground, without enough down force to leave any track (or to affect the lateral handling of the aircraft).
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