How does the effect of a given landing crosswind differ with aircraft size and weight? Obviously a small aircraft (C172) will be affected by the wind because of its relatively low weight but on the other hand a larger aircraft such as a commercial airliner will be affected because of its large surface area.
Do I detect a bit of a misunderstanding here of the effect of a steady wind on an aeroplane in flight? The weight of the aeroplane, or its surface area, make not one jot of difference. The only effect of a steady wind on any aeroplane (or balloon) is to affect groundspeed and track.
A changing wind (gusts, wind gradient) will have an en effect on the aeroplane in flight. A heavy airliner, for instance will be more affected by wind sheer than will a light aircraft because the big aeroplane has more inertia.
When it comes to landing in a cross wind, a faster aeroplane will be less affected because the cross wind is a smaller percentage of its airspeed (so, for instance, the angle of 'crab' on the approach will be less for a given wind in a fast aeroplane than a slow one). And the effectiveness of the flying controls, particularly the rudder, will help define the maximum crosswind an aeroplane can land in.