Disabled Saab in IAH
 

Was taxiing out to 15L today and saw a Saab in the pad, with a bus taking pax to the terminal, and a tug attached. just curious what might have kept them from returning to the gate under their own power.

Not a Colgan plane, no way:rolleyes:

A loss of nosewheel steering would do it.

Actually, it wouldn't. The tiller (NWS) is an MEL'able item on the Saab.

I bet 9 out of 10 Colgan captains have never taxied without using the tiller though.

i do it all the time, usually the tiller sucks and its just easier to not use it...

A loss of nose wheel steering, due to a Hydraulic problem, would definitely do it.
I think that's what you meant.

Nosewheel steering is an MEL item, but having it fail on a taxi due to unknown causes, even with a remote chance it's related to hydraulics, is discretionary to the captain.
Good judgement would be to error on the side of caution though and get towed in, but every situation is different.

Yeah, I bet you're wrong; in fact, I'd imagine it would be the other way (9 out of 10 HAVE taxied w/out the tiller). I used to do it all the time when I was on the Saab. It's easy and sometimes, smoother to not use it. :)

But if it is a Hydraulic problem, then you would be correct, that's not such a good thing then. :o

I didn't know the SAAB had a tiller. I thought it was steered by the pedals.

This FO has taxied many times w/o the tiller, may arm does not reach that far. It is not hard and good practice and kind of fun when you are bored.

My bet on the Saab is they shut the left side down and no bus tie..so no hydraulics to taxi. The only other thing I can think of is the nosewheel did a 180 which I have seen before, looks freaky like that UFC fighter who broke his leg.