- #1
thetexan
- 269
- 12
I am a pilot with a problem. I love math and study it as a hobby but this problem seems to be beyond my abilities. I need to have help in actually solving it and would also like to know how you solved it please.
Below is a diagram of a MD88. It has a wheelbase of 72ft 5 in and a wheeltrack of 16ft 8in.
Given that the aircraft starts at a parked position (position A) that is 90 degrees (perpendicular) to the taxi line with the nosewheel on the T-Bar on the taxi line. As the aircraft begins to taxi the nosewheel is tillered full left to 90 degrees. The nosewheel is kept on the centerline during the entire event. As the aircraft moves, the main gear, of course, will follow and at some point the aircraft will be perfectly lined up on the centerline with the main gear symetrically straddling the centerline (position B). I suspect the track of the main gear will follow a sort of parabolic curve but I don't really have a clue.
The question is... what distance will the nosegear have to travel along that taxi line before the aircraft finally becomes perfectly lined up and the main gear evenly straddling the line? Assume no slippage of the tires. This is a real world problem requiring calculus I suspect and it is beyond me. Please help.
http://www.photomiracles.com/md88.jpg
Below is a diagram of a MD88. It has a wheelbase of 72ft 5 in and a wheeltrack of 16ft 8in.
Given that the aircraft starts at a parked position (position A) that is 90 degrees (perpendicular) to the taxi line with the nosewheel on the T-Bar on the taxi line. As the aircraft begins to taxi the nosewheel is tillered full left to 90 degrees. The nosewheel is kept on the centerline during the entire event. As the aircraft moves, the main gear, of course, will follow and at some point the aircraft will be perfectly lined up on the centerline with the main gear symetrically straddling the centerline (position B). I suspect the track of the main gear will follow a sort of parabolic curve but I don't really have a clue.
The question is... what distance will the nosegear have to travel along that taxi line before the aircraft finally becomes perfectly lined up and the main gear evenly straddling the line? Assume no slippage of the tires. This is a real world problem requiring calculus I suspect and it is beyond me. Please help.
http://www.photomiracles.com/md88.jpg
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