A320 family nosegear canted forward
 

I operate A320 aircraft and have wondered why the nosegear leg is canted forward.
From ramp observation, the design isn't copied on any other Airbus, or Boeing.
It appears to transfer all the load onto the inner tyre during turns, and seems to work against the trailing-arm effect for a loss-of-hydraulics landing.
Anyone know the technical reason for the unique layout?

To expedite tire changes? In all seriousness, the Douglas tiwns, DC-9, etc, also had some forward cast, not very noticeable due to a shorter gear leg. FWIW the Airbus main gear legs are canted aft, no doubt to absorb my earth-shaking landings straight-up-and-down.

Excellent question.

The wheels return freely to the center position. (inclination is 9°)

Think the BAC 1-11 had a similar layout. Like the man says, quick wheel change without the need of a jack. :O

Never did it myself of course. :=

Not unique, and the idea dates back to at least the Lockheed Constellation (ca. 1940).
http://www.aviation-history.com/lockheed/twasc2a.jpg

Sounds perfectly plausible.
In which case the idea goes back as far as the invention of the bike :)

Everything you'll ever need to know about landing gear geometry - apart from why nose legs may be canted. :hmm:

http://www.ae.metu.edu.tr/~ae451/LandingGear.pdf

I think you will find all Douglas tricycle landing gear aircraft have canted nose gears (DC4 thru MD11). I always understood it was for caster similar to a bicycle or motorbike. On Douglas aircraft the center of the nose wheel axle was mounted on the centerline of the inner cylinder whereas other designers used a trailing axle to achieve caster ie. the axle was behind the centerline of the oleo strut thus obtaining caster effect like a trolley wheel.
Having said that I don't know why the A320 family is the only Airbus product to use a canted nose gear.

Here's one of three Lockheed 12-A's fitted with fixed tri-gear. This one was known as a C-40B (USAAC - 1939).

http://www.aerofiles.com/lockheed-c40b.jpg

(I note they didn't want to worry about tail strikes - :})

Bad idea really, had the same canted nosegear on the MD80. During tight turns, as previously mentioned, the outside nosewheel would be clear of the ground, providing minimal steering authority, on a wet or icy ramp this quickly became nonexistent :confused:

Pure speculation - Do you think this may have been a factor in the CO 735 departing the runway at KDIA on TO?

barit1,

Talk about the potatoe in a fruit party...

Well no, Boeing's do not have canted nosegear :suspect:

I withdraw my speculation - more homework was needed. :O