Plain English Meaning

The wheel at the front of the airplane, under the nose, on airplanes whose main wheels sit behind the cockpit rather than at the tail.

Full Definition

The single landing gear wheel located under the nose of an airplane that has a tricycle landing gear configuration. It supports the front of the airplane on the ground and is typically steerable, allowing the pilot to direct the airplane during taxi.

Context Anchor

You will see this term in discussions of taxiing, takeoff, landing, and how an airplane sits and moves on the ground.

Derivation

Nose comes from the Old English word for the projecting front of the face; wheel from the Old English term for a circular object. Combined, the term points directly to the wheel positioned at the 's forward end, helping distinguish it from configurations.