DC-9 cockpit question

[TrinidadGT20]

OK, time for another one of my ignoramous questions. What is the wheel on the captain's side for in this picture of a DC9 cockpit?

A.net DC9 Picture

[mtsu_av8er]

That's the tiller. That's how the Captain steers on the ground.

[ananoman]

It is called the 'tiller' and is for nose wheel steering. Most large aircraft have them in some form, they are used for making sharp turns on the ground while taxiing.

Some large aircraft have steering using rudder pedals like you are used to, but to make sharper taxi turns, you need the tiller.

Other large aircraft do not have nosewheel steering through the rudder pedals and the only way you can steer is by the 'wheel'.

It takes some getting used to.

[AP2B]

Originally Posted by mtsu_av8er

That's the tiller. That's how the Captain steers on the ground.

Surely the FO's taxi too??? What do they stear with in this configuration?

[Nick]

Originally Posted by AP2B

Surely the FO's taxi too??? What do they stear with in this configuration?

Some airplanes do not have tillers on both sides and this is one of them.

Newer jets with fly-by-wire systems often have tillers on both sides, such as the new Airbii and Boeing 777s. The tiller is not physically connected to the nose gear but steers the gear through the tillers.

Each airline has its own procedures for taxiing but I'd bet that most are similar to the Northwest cockpit above. The NWA policy is that the CA will taxi unless there is something that they must do that would distract them, such as reviewing the takeoff numbers. The FO may then taxi and that is supposed to be done on a straight taxiway.

Edit: spelling