Menorca parking stands - how is it done?
 

So the wife's been at work all day and I'm off, so I've had a little play around on Flight Sim mostly because it's a cheap aeroplane fix until I can finish my PPL. I landed at Menorca and notice that like many Spanish island airports they have stands that you taxi into and make a sharp turn to the final parking position. The OCD part of me wonders how in real life you park at these bays.

Here are some pics to show you:

http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/1989/fsscr001z.jpg

So the stand is 04, do you make the turn on the arrow or before?

http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/3579/fsscr002g.jpg


Then you get to the second arrow, again do you stay inside the yellow line on the turn?

http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/7591/fsscr003s.jpg

In the sim the Marshaller stands at the final parking position. In real life does he help you with the initial turn in and manoeuvring?

http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/6235/fsscr007i.jpg

Not the straightest...

http://img641.imageshack.us/img641/8314/fsscr010f.jpg

Oh dear.

http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/75/fsscr013.jpg

I only have a single thrust lever in the sim - would you use some asymmetrical thrust from one engine to make the turn or is down to the tiller only or a combination of both?
Just wondering.

Ta

RU

You turn slightly before the arrow but the idea is that the nosewheel is on the yellow line.

As in following the marshaller, what can I say? Their instructions can sometimes be a bit dubious. The nosewheel should come to rest on the yellow line just before the arrow point to the right (in your last pic).

We don't use asymmetrical thrust, in general it is only done by using the tiller.

Thanks for the reply. What kind of speed would you try to maintain throughout this kind of turn - walking pace I guess? If you balls it up (not suggesting that you do, of course) then does that mean the ground equipment can't get round you safely? Do you then have to get a tug out to finish off, red faces all round?

Speed around the turn is around 6/7 knots. If you balls it up while making a sharp turn then it needs a 'little' bit more power. Easier to steer straight (a few feet) to get momentum before continuing the turn.

Never had to use a tug, it is all in managing your momentum. Not enough speed and you don't make the turn, to much speed and the nosewheel starts to skid.

Wow, understeer on an airliner!

Yes, it does happen! On the bigger bus you need to keep the speed up (10 kt) to do a 180 turn on the runway and occasionally you can feel the nosewheel skid if you go a few knots faster. :}