Takeoff run
 

On which side of the centreline lights should you run your nosewheel? This is from an article in the Pilot magazine by Bob Grimstead. He provides a clue-it's to do with an aircraft's VMCA assessment taking no account of crosswind and the probable runway excursion after an engine fails.
Can someone please clarify?
Thanks

I have two - obviously the lights go in the middle!

Worrying about such trivia might lead to missing something important. Unless your crystal ball will tell which engine is about to fail, then somewhere about the centre has always worked for me.

There's a more challenging conundrum along these lines, faced by the Captain of a Gulf Aviation BAC 1-11 landing at Sanaa in the early '70s with the Ruler of Abu Dhabi/President of the UAE on board. The only comms was with the fuel truck driver with a handheld VHF, who opined that the runway was clear and not much wind. We overflew the runway, which was known to be very recently built, and we all saw a thick black central line from one end to the other. We thought it was probably the base for the white CL markings, and the Captain decided to land. As we approached the threshold, the line was still very visible. As we crossed the threshold it became obvious that the line was a shadow and that one side of the runway was about 30cm lower than the other, ie still WIP.. Memory fails me about what happened then; I'm fairly sure we went round and landed with all wheels on the higher side. We certainly landed; the diversion was Djibouti and HRH definitely did not want to go there. It's possible that we were committed to land by the time we saw the problem, I suppose, and the Captain (Arthur Barnard), who was flying, either managed to swerve to put all the wheels on the high side, or put the nosewheel on the one side with the main wheels on each side, ie one low and one high. If so, it was a complex decision to make in a few seconds, but he got it right.

BTW, things were less formal in those days! The trip, as a VIP charter for HRH to make State visits to Yemen and then Somalia, had been planned for weeks. But although Sana was getting a new airport, it had proved impossible to get any meaningful response from the Yemen to enquiries about landing, comms, fuel, handling etc. The 1-11 could operate without much ground support (own stairs, APU, etc), so off we went, hoping for the best. Apart from the runway, the only real problem arose when the fueller told us the Jet A1 had been in the bowser for at least 3 months. This had been anticipated, and we had enough to go on to Djibouti for a fuel stop, everyone remaining on board, and a diversion, if necessary.

Never a problem on the Trident. :O

You have centreline lights?!

Normally the centreline lights are offset against the markings anyway. Which side depends, on what direction you are going :p

it's to do with an aircraft's VMCA assessment taking no account of crosswind and the probable runway excursion after an engine fails.

.. or are we considering Vmcg ?

I’ve never heard anyone bring this up. I couldn’t find the article online. Would you be able to post the article, or a link to it please?

If I’m on a multi day trip and my colleague hits the lights with the nose wheel I start counting every time they hit one. When they finally ask what I’m doing I say, “that’s how many beers you’re buying tonight!”.

I operate PF from either seat. Out of habit I generally have the lights /line under my bum so that makes the wheel on the other side.

Just a habit

JT,,+-30 FT after engine failure...???

+- 30ft certification requirement, with appropriate control input, after engine failure recognition, on a dry runway, without crosswind.

In operations - surprise + if the above do not apply, then check grass.

I still remember a wet runway, at 20 crosswind component take-off from Biggin Hill. Wondered what exactly was the real Vmcg that day. I’m sure it was well above Vr.

The artice mentioned VMCA.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....175d5bef27.jpg