Crosswind question

[Pecan]

Alright guys...I'm fixin to show some of my ignorance here.

Just been watching some Youtube videos on crosswind landings. It appears that many of the larger aircraft were actually landing in a crab--not only the test flights. The aircraft that I've flown (except the T-38) all require you to land without any side-loads by either executing the wing-low method around 200-300 feet or kicking it out in the flare (not recommended in the Maddog).

Were these guys landing correctly for their respective aircraft or were these just shots of dorked up landings that turned out OK? Please enlighten my aerodynamically challenged mind.

Thanks

 

[CSY Mon]

Sideload is ok..Especially on a wet or slick runway.

The airplane will straighten itself out.

In a steady cross wind across a dry runway, sure, kick it straight. (B-747)

On the B-767 and B-757 they recommend ya land wing down like a Cessna...Set up the configuration way early to get stable...Keep cross-controlling all the way down..And keep the power up..Lots of drag from them crossed controls.

 

[Checknsix]

The 744 was designed to take a 45 degree hit without damage to the gear. I forget the exact limitation of the angle of bank during landing, but it is very low due to the outboard nacelles....something like 4.5 degrees because impact is at 7 degrees. Sorry...it's been a while since I taught that airplane.

A lot of people are under the impression that the main gear can rotate to handle the xwind landings. Not true. The mains turn automatically...but only on the ground.

Checknsix

 

[grog_sit_reserv]

You fly the Airbus (320's and 319's) in a crab till about the last 5 feet then kick it around. Don't let the wing come up as you rotate around its axis. Basically try to get the forward momentum of the plane aligned with the path of the nose right at touchdown. If you rotate around late, no big deal its forward momentum will straighten it out for you but everyone in back knows you suck.

When I think about it, it lands pretty much like a light twin.

 

[skystud25]

there's plenty of clowns out there that think if it has a swept wing, you shouldn't do a cross control landing. Hogswallop. These pilots simply suck and would rather cloak their lack of stick skills with some conjured fantasy about phantom aerodynamics than admit they're incompetent.

 

[AA717driver]

To rephrase what skystud said: An airplane is an airplane. If you don't land in a crab in a 172, don't do it in a 747--or anything in between.

Keep in mind, no one puts normal stuff on You Tube... TC

 

[AdlerDriver]

The aircraft that I've flown (except the T-38) all require you to land without any side-loads by either executing the wing-low method around 200-300 feet or kicking it out in the flare (not recommended in the Maddog).

Not recommended by who?? Every crosswind landing I've done in the Maddog has been kicked out in the flare. Give it a try sometime it's a beautiful thing.

Personally, I've never been a fan of the wing-low at 200-300 feet - no matter what the aircraft. Several reasons:

1- You just spent the last few minutes getting the jet trimmed/power set and things are wired. Now, in the last half-mile or so, you're going to introduce additional flight control inputs that induce more drag, need more power and will probably change the pitch you had set all requiring last minute corrections.

2- If you're flying a cat-1 to mins, you may be doing all the above after you just broke out and acquired the runway environment.

3- How many times have you had a cross-wind at 15-20+ knots at 200-300 feet drop off to nil in the flare? You can slip an aircraft to the runway in calm conditions as long as both control inputs cancel each other out. All you end up with is more drag and a higher sink rate. Personally, I'd rather put in what I know I need in the flare than what I thought I needed at 200 feet.

Cheers.

 

[Pecan]

Not recommended by who??

Cheers.

Adler: Great win last night for the BoSox!!

Anyway.....The FDX MD-11 training department teaches to start the X-wind align maneuver by 200' (unless there are strong X-winds) and have it aligned by 100'.
"Crosswind landings are accomplished by flying the final

approach in a wings level attitude with a crab into
the wind. At approximately 200​

​

' agl, align the fuselage
with the runway by smoothly applying rudder and
maintain runway centerline by lowering the upwind
wing. In high crosswinds, consideration should be given
to commencing the align maneuver prior to 200'.​

The align maneuver shall be established by 100' agl.

NOTES​

Excessive sink rates and subsequent tailstrikes
have occurred as the result of a
late or abrupt align maneuver. The align
maneuver has an associated increase in
drag, and if unchecked with power, will​

result in an increased sink rate."
CFM 7-1-6-2

Sounds like it has something to do with trying to minimize tailstrikes, but I used to "kick it out" in the KC-10 quite regularly. Either method still has you landing without the sideload.

These guys http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rbMLuHKmd0&mode=related&search= are clearly doing very little to align the fuselage. It seems very unnatural--at least from my perspective.

Cheers

 

[TWA Dude]

Basically it's just laziness by a lot of airline pilots that they don't bother to kick out the crab before touchdown. I always try to land just like my CFI taught me to in the Piper Tomahawk (except for getting the stall horn at touchdown).

 

[Bavarian Chef]

Keep in mind, no one puts normal stuff on You Tube... TC

Everything I learned about flying I learned fromn YouTube, Penscola Wings of Gold, that crazy helo pilot from the A-Team and the wonder twins (shape of an eagle, shape of an ice cube).

Maybe I am watching too much tv and surfing too much internet? I guess that's why I am still afraid of Sleestacks.


Airbus lands itself very poorly in xwind landings, or maybe that is just me. I am German though and we don't work well with the French.