Anybody else seen this? Airbuses with cockeyed nosewheels.

[Dumbledore]

This little landing thing that JBU292 did at LAX last week isn't an isolated incident. Now, before you chastise me citing news reports that have stated this take a look at this link:

http://technorati.com/search/jetblue

The pictures here are of AT LEAST two other aircraft that had the EXACT same problem in flight and landed with it. I don't think the media has caught on to the fact that previous encounters with this problem have resulted in the same kind of in-flight drama that we all watched on TV.

One of the airplanes shown is a UAL A319. One is another Jetblue plane but there's water in the background and on the runway. It's also a different N-number.

Anyone got any more insight about this non-problem that Airbuses Don't really have?

 

[jergar999]

I wouldn't be surprised to see a manufacturer fix and an AD on the Airbus aircraft with this steering setup. It's nice that at least the nose gear is strong enough to hold up every time it happens.

 

[rvsm410]

I was reading the teckno write ups about this problem, the Airbus engineers designed this to happen when the steering system fails. They contend that it is better for the wheel to swing and lock in the 90 degree position rather than have the wheel only turned to some other angle that would eventually lead to the acft running off the paved surface once the aero surfaces are no longer effective...I think we all would agree to that.....
What we saw on JB292 was the planned outcome of this failure....what they do to fix it now, well we will see.....

 

[atrdriver]

Wouldn't it make more sense to have the nosewheel return to the centered position when a steering system failure occurs? IOW, if a steering system failure occurs have the system dump the pressure in itself and let the centering cam do it's thing. Just a thought, and probably not a good one.

 

[DrewBlows]

I think that the engineers have already fixed the problem all that it will be fixed. Was there any damage to the airplane (besides the tires and wheels)? If not, it's really not a problem. It seems to be safe (dramatic perhaps, but that's a PR issue not an engineering problem). I could be wrong, like this gear issue it's been known to happen before.

 

[Flying Illini]

Wouldn't it make more sense to have the nosewheel return to the centered position when a steering system failure occurs? IOW, if a steering system failure occurs have the system dump the pressure in itself and let the centering cam do it's thing. Just a thought, and probably not a good one.

I like how you think, unfortunately it's such a good idea that there is no way it will ever work.

 

[Dumbledore]

Yeah, you have to winder about people who design a mechanical system to fail in its MOST USELESS POISITION instead of the most beneficial one.

Gotta love that government subsidy stuff. Seems like their not paying enough to the thinkers though!