Crosswind Landing procedure
Objectives
- To develop the pilot’s skill and knowledge with crosswind approach and landings.
Why?
- As it is rare that the wind is blowing directly down the centerline of the runway, all pilots must be fully skilled in dealing with cross-wind approaches and landings.
- Adverse wind conditions (crosswinds, tail winds and wind shear) are involved in 33 % of approach-and-landing accidents.
Link
- Normal/short/soft landing.
- Side slip
Review questions
- What is the maximum demonstrated crosswind according to the POH?
- What’s the procedure for entry and recovery from a side-slip?
- What are the advantage of Flap extension during landings?
- How do you maintain descent attitude and desired approach airspeed?
Headwind/crosswind calculations
- Determine the angle between the runway and the wind direction.
- METAR, TAF, FD:
- winds are given in true direction
- Runway orientation:
- winds are given in magnetic direction.
Maximum Crosswind Component Limitation
- Crosswind charts can be found in POH but are not aircraft specific.
- The maximum allowable crosswind velocity is dependent upon the pilot capability as well as aircraft limitation.
- When calculating the crosswind always use the full gust component meaning, calculate crosswind as a « worst case » scenario.
Crosswind Landing Method 1: Crab
- Point the nose into the wind and maintain wings level (crab for drift correction).
- Crab angle is maintained until just prior to touchdown.
- Longitudinal Axis must remain parralel to the flight path
- Just before the wheels contact the ground, stop the drift so that the wheels are aligned with the runway.
- You may use the crab method until just before the roundout is started and then smoothly changing to the wing low (side slip method) for the remainder of the landing.
- use the rudder to align the nose with the runway.
Crosswind Landing Method 2: Side slip
- Aligns the airplane’s heading with the centerline of the runway.
- Applies drift correction by lowering the upwind wing.
- simultaneously apply sufficient opposite rudder pressure to prevent the turn and keep the airplane’s longitudinal axis aligned with the runway.
- Drift is controlled with aileron.
- Heading is controlled with rudder.
- If the crosswind diminishes, correction must be reduced.
- Flare :
- Hold upwind wing down
- Maintain track down runway with opposite rudder.
- Touchdown :
- On upwind main wheel first, followed by downwind main wheel.
- Keep straight with rudder and hold full aileron into the wind.
- Gently lower the nose wheel to the runway.
- Use brake to stop.
Review questions
- What are the two basic methods used for crosswind landing?
- Which wheel should touchdown first?
- What do we do after touchdown during a crosswind landing?
