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Old 27th Apr 2011, 14:38
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JW411
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: UK
Age: 83
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Try thinking of it in another way. I have always taught my pupils to do it the other way round; in other words, you crab down finals until the last hundred feet or so. In your example, the nose would therefore be to the left of the runway centreline.

So, try applying sufficient right rudder to bring the nose around so that it is now exactly tracking the centreline and, as you do that, apply left (into wind) aileron to balance the effect of the rudder and stop the aircraft from drifting off the centreline. Don't be put off by the amount of aileron that you might need. It will probably be more than you think you need. (Don't be worried about this; you would have to put a hell of a lot of aileron on before you even get close to scraping a wingtip).

I am therefore suggesting that you MENTALLY think rudder first followed by aileron (although, in parctice, both happen at the same time).

Obviously, the into wind wing will end up by being lower than the horizontal in order to stop the cross wind picking up the into wind wing. Ergo, you will land on the into wind main wheel(s) first.

Now then, having taught this technique for more years than I can remember, the biggest problem then is to persuade the student to keep the into wind aileron firmly applied when the wheels touch. So many pilots seem to instinctively "put everything back in the middle" when the wheels touch the ground.

In a really strong crosswind this can end in a serious outbreak of tears. The wind gets under the into wind wing and off we go "aux vaches" as our French colleagues put it, off the upwind side of the runway. Remember to "fly" the wing until the roll out is complete.

Even then, always remember that the landing is never finished until you have parked the aircraft, shut the engine(s) down and have got the chocks in!
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