Originally Posted by
Discorde
Just as well the Vibrator never ventured into the non-equatorial Southern hemisphere! Crosswind landings would have been trickier!
Explanation: In the northern hemisphere the surface wind is usually aligned a few degrees left of the wind aloft (due to friction partially reducing the Coriolis effect). In strong winds a gust temporarily increasing the surface wind will also bring about veering (clockwise directional change) due to the wind aligning more closely with the wind aloft. Therefore if an aircraft making an approach with a crosswind from the left encounters a gust the crosswind component will not greatly change - the veering offsetting the increased wind speed.
hence the swing
Conversely, a crosswind from the right will be trickier - the crosswind component will be increased by both of these factors: wind speed and veering. Other factors being equal, pilots making crosswind landings in the northern hemisphere will find crosswinds from the right more difficult than those from the left. In the southern hemisphere of course the opposite is true.
Nope - the yaw occured even on calm wind days!!
With counterclockwise rotating props there is a left rudder component needed to counter the inherent swing to starboard. When the throttles are closed the flight idle blade pitch severely reduced the rudder and fin authority hence the yaw to port.