How do pilots manage to taxi with such precision?

Question

Whenever you see airplanes (e.g. airliners: Boeing and Airbus) taxi to the runway, the always stick to the yellow taxi line with such precision.

How do they manage to do this from such an elevated height, with limited views (i.e. not looking at the nose gear), in such a big aircraft?

Answer 1

It may sound snotty,  but practice.   You taxi using the rudder, which is controlled with your feet.  This is a strange feeling to get used to.  Once you get the hang of it, it doesn't really matter how big the aircraft is, its all about the same.

Answer 2

It is hard.  With planes like the777 you have to turn after you see the taxiway you need.  One 777 pilot said " its like turning on 11th st when u need turn turn on 10th st."  Also a lot of practic

Answer 3

If I am not wrong, there a re cameras mounted at the nose gear of certain aircrafts, such as then A380. And what the above people say are also true

Answer 4

Using the yellow line you stated and years of practice after a while it's easier have a pilot friend.

Don't forget to vote best answer.

Answer 5

You just happened to be watching when they got it right.  Most crews usually do a fairly good job, especially with a familiar airplane on a familiar airport.

But just keep watching.  Sooner or later you will see it done sloppily.  That's how you get the practice that makes it better most of the time.

And you will have to dodge to keep from hitting junk, potholes, animals, and what have you.  Or to try to keep from hitting them.  You can't assume anything, especially on overseas airports.

And on larger aircraft, the nose wheel steering is not entirely done with the rudder pedals.  5-7 degrees either side of center is handled that way, but for wider turns there is a steering wheel or tiller.

And the size of the airplane makes a big difference.  Taxiing a 747 is like handling an apartment building on wheels.  The vertical fin is the size of a city building lot; thus, the wind is a major factor in ground handling.  Not to mention that you can't see everything in close quarters.  It takes experience and a certain aplomb, which I was usually able to fake (the calm, not the experience.  That was real.).

Answer 6

The same way you do it in a little aircraft.  Or a car or a truck or an elephant.

The nose wheel is generally in the middle of the plane man

Answer 7

The 737-700 has a groove cut into the dash. You sit with your eyes at the normal datum and line up the groov with the taxi-way.

Answer 8

You're tought ow to do all of this during pilot training. It's all easy when you first know, and it's second nature to them, it's almost like driving a car to a pilot.

Answer 9

I'll tell you one secret or perhaps everybody knows it. I was at the left seat of a 747 and we towed the aircraft from gate to a remote parking bay. A pilot taught me that my right shoulder is in-line with the left nose wheel of the 747, as the  captain told me that it is his guide when taxiing and as we were being towed I have seen that were dead-on the yellow line as my right shoulder is.

Answer 10

I sight down through my right kneecap to the yellow line. Never fails to put one nose tire on each side of that sucker. Ya just learn little tricks.