Originally Posted by Dream Land
when the aircraft is close to the ground, my focus of attention is simply the trajectory of the aircraft, I am fully following on the rudders for the simple reason that I am fully responsible for the outcome of the landing.
A bit mystified by that, Dream Land. According to a mate of mine - who, in connection with the Hamburg incident, emailed me a section of the A320 FCOM - Airbus' advice is not to use the rudder at all on the approach - 'crabbing' only - because the 'autotrim' automatically assumes that rudder application is evidence that you want to turn, and therefore
applies roll as WELL?
"Before flare height, heading corrections should only be made with roll. As small bank angles are possible and acceptable close to the ground, only small heading changes can be envisaged. Otherwise, a go-around should be initiated.
"Use of rudder, combined with roll inputs, should be avoided, since this may significantly increase the pilot's lateral handling tasks. Rudder use should be limited to the "de-crab" maneuver in case of crosswind, while maintaining the wings level, with the sidestick in the roll axis."
Must admit that that passage gave me a touch of the horrors. I'm being presumptious - I've only flown gliders and singles and the odd twin - but I'm one of those lucky people who got the hang of crossing the controls in crosswind conditions very quickly. Telling me not to use the rudder as WELL as the ailerons on a crosswind approach would have been like telling me not to lean a bicycle over when turning a corner.......so would telling me to 'keep the wings level' instead of dropping one slightly into the crosswind........
So why monitor the rudder pedals? - when the 'book' clearly says that you shouldn't use the rudder at all in a crosswind approach in an Airbus, except at the last moment before touchdown, to 'decrab'?
Because it
"..may significantly increase the pilot's lateral handling tasks."
Which I interpret as 'handbook-ese' for
"Send you sideways into the deck at high speed."
As appears to have come within literally a few inches of happening at Hamburg?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAl1IJYx0C8