Hi folks, 

 

I wonder whether pilots learn some tricycle physics in their courses? 

I have never heard/seen an occasion of pilots turning off the runway too fast... 

Is the centre of gravity placed in a way that an aircraft rather slips over the nose wheels instead of toppling over? 

 

Thanx in advance. 

Taxiing is usually the first thing you learn when training for your first license because it is difficult for some to steer with their feet and to have differential brakes when trying to stop.

 

When you move to larger aircraft it is difficult again because the cockpit is ahead of the nose wheel and gives quite a weird sensation to be hanging over grass while the nose wheel behind you is on course. When I was jumpseating home on a 757 it was shocking how far back the nosewheel was from what I was used to. There are also other considerations like the location and sweep of the wings and tail that you need to be cognisant to as well.

First you learn on a tricycle when you are a kid, Then a C150, then on a twin engine, King Air, Dash 8, 737, 777 etc....It seems like a progression in life LOL

 

I remember our flight instructors at my flight school used to get you to taxi on your first lesson and get the aircraft rolling a little towards a ground object and ask you to make a turn, if you used the yoke to turn they would panic (acting). If you used the rudder pedals to turn then they knew you knew an aircraft. It was a funny joke and fun to get the student to panic when the yoke wouldn't do anything.

 

I didn't fail that one cause I already had my CH Rudder Pedals at home. :rolleyes:

As a kid I would remember hearing about a Waddell's wagon. I can't seem to a post a picture, a google search will show you what I mean.

 

http://www.museumofflight.org/faq/how-high-above-ground-do-pilots-747-sit-and-it-true-boeing-actually-had-develop-simulator-just-t

like this ?

 

Haha, that's the one!