When you drive an airplane on the ground do you have power steering?

Question

When you drive an airplane on the ground do you have power steering?

Answer 1

It's called "taxiing" the aircraft.  You "taxi" it around.  You actually steer the aircraft with the rudders, with your feet.  You want to turn left push left on the left rudder, you want to turn right, push right on the right rudder.  All airplanes have these, but larger planes, have what they call a "tiller".  It does in fact have "power steering" which helps them turn very easily on the ground.  The turning radius with the tiller or "nose wheel steering" is much greater than those of the rudders.  They only use the tiller during taxi.  When they power up for take off or upon landing they utilize the rudder only.  One more thing, on smaller aircraft the rudder are moved by direct cables from the rudder pedals to the actual rudder, on larger aircraft it is usually hydraucially assisted.  It varies from aircraft manufactuers.

Answer 2

Light airplanes are generally steered on the ground with the rudder pedals and brakes.  No power assistance is needed nor provided.

Heavy airplanes usually have a tiller or hand wheel for steering the nose wheel when sharp turns and close maneuvering are required.  These controls are usually power assisted.

Some light airplanes are steered only with differential braking, and differential power is also sometimes used to help steer multi-engine airplanes.

Some advanced airplanes do not have ground steering by the rudder pedals at all, and must be steered with the tiller for all maneuvers including touchdown and takeoff.

Answer 3

Most small planes use the rudder pedals that are connected to the nosewheel or tailwheel.  

Some aircraft do not have steering.  The use differential braking to turn the plane.  Step on the brake of the direction you want to turn.

Larger planes usually have a tiller that can be used for taxi and sometimes takeoff and landing, depending on the plane.  The rudder pedals will turn the plane several degrees (around 3-6) and the tiller will turn the nosewheel around 60 degrees.

There are planes like Falcon business jets that use only a tiller.  Rudder pedals only control the rudder.  These require the tiller to be used for takeoff and landing also.

Answer 4

You left out "Conventional Gear".  There are some Aircraft (old and new) that still have a Tailwheel.  Steering these aircraft involves both application of the rudder (and power) as well as differential braking if it is available on the AC.  Older AC have only direct braking and must steer with the rudder alone.

now.  the famous old question: how does a old twin (or multiple engine) with conventional gear back up?

good luck.

Answer 5

MA is right but I wanted to add that not all planes even have a steerable nosewheel. some of the small planes that I have flown have a castering nosewheel (just like the front wheel of a shopping cart) and you steer by applying either the right or left brakes independently

Answer 6

you drive with the rudder petals on the floor

Answer 7

Yes.  Boeing's have hydraulic actuators on the nose gear to steer, similar to the old 60's Ford Mustang power steering actuators.  Airbus's have something to a rack & pinion power steering, similar to most newer cars.

"aviophage

Some advanced airplanes do not have ground steering by the rudder pedals at all, and must be steered with the tiller for all maneuvers including touchdown and takeoff.

1 hour ago

Source(s):

retired Boeing 747 Captain"

It really makes me wonder if you've ever been in a 747.  747's, 757's and 767's are what I'm familiar with and they all have tillers and they all can be steered on the ground with the rudder pedals.  The pedals control steering actuators on the nose gear to steer the plane and they are used for take off and landing when the wheels are still on the ground.  You'd be crazy to use the tiller for takeoff or landing!  

One hand on the throttles, one hand on the tiller, and one hand on the yoke?