jetcareers - View Single Post

zmiller4 · October 4th, 2006, 12:16

Midlifeflyer makes a good point on his site--you'll hear a lot of people talk about the "two different methods" of crosswind landings, but they're really the same thing in the long run.

The only requirement for an acceptable crosswind landing is for the airplane to be on centerline with both its longitudinal axis and direction of motion parallel to the runway. This requires use of ailerons into the direction of the wind (to stop the lateral drift) and rudder away from the wind (to align the long axis with the aircraft's direction of motion). Exactly when you start using the aileron/rudder to straighten out the airplane depends on 1)the type of aircraft, and 2)personal preference. In reality, though, you're going to end up in this cross-controlled conditionno matter what (i.e. left aileron, right rudder) just prior to touchdown or your landing is going to suck.

In light singles I'd often start this slip early simply because that's how I was taught, but when I started teaching I realized it made pitch and power control trickier for my students, so I told them to kick in the slip at a hundred feet or so. It seemed to work OK, but each found their own personal preference. In the ATR--a big-ass high wing turboprop with a huge rudder--you'd see a lot of guys start putting in the slip well before the flare because they could; there was almost no danger of catching a wingtip. In the CRJ, though, it's more of a timing maneuver where you have to put in the rudder right before touchdown or you'll either drift or catch a wingtip.

You'll figure it out, though--it's a lot easier to visualize once you've done them.

October 4th, 2006, 12:16	#12
zmiller4 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 1,350	Re: crosswind ? Midlifeflyer makes a good point on his site--you'll hear a lot of people talk about the "two different methods" of crosswind landings, but they're really the same thing in the long run. The only requirement for an acceptable crosswind landing is for the airplane to be on centerline with both its longitudinal axis and direction of motion parallel to the runway. This requires use of ailerons into the direction of the wind (to stop the lateral drift) and rudder away from the wind (to align the long axis with the aircraft's direction of motion). Exactly when you start using the aileron/rudder to straighten out the airplane depends on 1)the type of aircraft, and 2)personal preference. In reality, though, you're going to end up in this cross-controlled conditionno matter what (i.e. left aileron, right rudder) just prior to touchdown or your landing is going to suck. In light singles I'd often start this slip early simply because that's how I was taught, but when I started teaching I realized it made pitch and power control trickier for my students, so I told them to kick in the slip at a hundred feet or so. It seemed to work OK, but each found their own personal preference. In the ATR--a big-ass high wing turboprop with a huge rudder--you'd see a lot of guys start putting in the slip well before the flare because they could; there was almost no danger of catching a wingtip. In the CRJ, though, it's more of a timing maneuver where you have to put in the rudder right before touchdown or you'll either drift or catch a wingtip. You'll figure it out, though--it's a lot easier to visualize once you've done them.