Crosswind With Gust Landings

[PEI_3721]

To answer the question (# 1):-

• Crosswind Company Limit 25 Is Knts.
  Excellent company policy, few operators add specific clarification to manufacturer’s documentation.
  A play on words, but 25kts is a Limit thus anything above that is ‘prohibited’.
  The comparison here is with CS 25 certification regulations. Maximum demonstrated crosswind is what has been shown to be safe, beyond that aircraft handling is unknown; “the demonstrated crosswind value may be presented in a section (of the AFM) other than the Limitations Section.”
  However, “If the maximum demonstrated crosswind is considered to be limiting for either take-offor landing, the crosswind limitation must be stated in the Limitations Section. If the crosswindvalue is considered to be limiting for one type of operation (e.g. autoland) but not for another,the crosswind limitation may also state the specific operations to which it applies.” AMC 1581.
  
  
• What Is Your Intention At The Minimum?
  Go Around. But why wait until the ‘minimum’, go-around early and don’t get sucked in by the actions or opinions of other pilots or risk you own false assessment / change on mind (human factors – plan continuation bias).
  
  
• And Reason?
  As above, the text provides a limit without exception. If the operational management wish to provide guidance on gusts then additional information must be provided, with I hope sufficient justification.
  Don’t forget that individual pilots ‘own’ the SOPs just a much as the management do – SOPs should be a communication device providing guidance, knowledge, and justification. There are not ‘the law’ as they cannot accommodate for every situation.
  Additional reasons, variability of steady wind and gust, accuracy in measuring and reporting winds, and need to judge runway condition; not all ‘dry’ runways are dry.

For info, from the regs:
CS AMC 25.1327. re HUD para14.1.4.1 “Approach mode guidance, if provided, should be satisfactory throughout the intended range of conditions, including at the minimum approach speed and maximum crosswind, with expected gust components, for which approval is sought.”

So HUD operators may have a crosswind limit which specifies gusts, perhaps smilarly for some auto land operations.