My comments on some of the issues and questions in this thread.
1) Cant retract the landing gear with the nose wheel turned. Wouldnt fit in the wheel well, and the Brake Steering Computer wouldnt allow retraction on an Airbus with the nose gear turned.
Landing even with just them main gear would be preferable in my opinion as you would still be able to steer with differantial braking, and you would also retain braking to stop the aircraft. One the belly you arent much more than along for the ride and just hope it stays on, and stops on the runway.
2) Yes, the wheels and axles will throw out a tremendous amount of sparks while being ground down.
3) The steering bypass pin would have had to have been removed prior to takeoff or they couldnt have steered the aircraft to the runway for takeoff. Airbus aircraft do have nosewheel steering bypass.
4) Very doubtful that Airbus made the landing gear, most gear are produced by one or two companies and sold to aircraft manufacturers. Dowty Rotol being by far the most common that I know of. (757 and B2 Bomber share the same nose gear)
5) The ability to dump fuel, as pointed out only exists on a limited number aircraft designs, typically widebody aircraft, that have a large disparity between max allowable takeoff weight and max allowable landing weight. B747 has it, I think the DC10 does, but I cant remember a narrowbody with it.
Only a few reasons come to mind that I think would have caused that nosewheel problem.
1) Steering system computer failure
2) Broken scizzors link.
3) Weird hydraulic anamoly.
The only real thing we can do is wait for the results of the investigation.
dago
