45
Wing Tip clearance Reference
Taxi summary:
Don’t stop in a turn
Minimize braking in turn
Bigger the turn, slower the speed
Before the turn, be slower than you think you need to be
Maximum taxi speed is 20 knots
Use of wheel brakes
The first 30-40 degrees of pedal deflection do nothing, then a little additional deflection will
cause sudden application of the brakes. As the loadmaster may be walking around conducting
duties when taxiing, if taxi conditions permit, be gentle with brake application. Many pilots will
announce over interphone when they applying brakes to give the loadmasters a chance to brace.
To keep your brakes from overheating during a long taxi, make a
smooth, continuous, and
increasing pressure brake application to slow the aircraft down to a crawl (3-5 knots), then
let the speed build up again.
Upon completion of the Before Taxi checklist, the left seat pilot will release the parking brake.
Hold the brakes until the marshaller signals that the aircraft is clear to proceed. If the plane has
been sitting for awhile, you may need a couple knob-widths of power to get started. Once you
notice the plane begin to move, reduce power immediately to ground idle (or just above if you
are really heavy). Test your brakes by lightly applying pressure to the toes.
Initial turns out of parking should be slow and controlled. More than 5 knots and you are
probably speeding. If the pavement is dry, you can probably use the nose wheel steering
exclusively, but it never hurts to use a little outside throttle (1 throttle, 1 knob-width) to help
keep your momentum. Keep the speed slow and use spotters in the cockpit, side windows,
overhead escape hatch, or marshallers outside the plane to keep clear of obstacles.
