Taking the discussion away from steady wind conditions and wind gradient, I imagine gusts feel worse in a light a/c - which is all I fly - and they react rather quickly by change of height or trying to move off line on short finals, especially with trees around.
However a massy plane will have substantial inertia and during the landing phase if/when hit by a gust would surely be unlikely to change its attitude, unless the new wind direction is sustained. Thus it would continue as directed because a short burst of wind energy relatively is not very significant.
On reflection even landing a very light a/c demonstrates this effect.
Landing the Rans S6 into a strong wind through the gap in the trees at my base strip, she always suffers short sharp turbulences and wind direction changes caused by it tumbling through & around the trees etc. Thus mostly I've found it best - whilst very prepared to pedal etc.,- to hold my controls as she'll emerge a few lengths later on the same path and skew for the last phase immediately before round out the same as she started with just before.
Hope that practical attempt helps the conundrum.
Last edited by mikehallam; 7th December 2012 at 12:25.