X-Wind:
Lands ok in x-wind once you get the hang of it. 'Wing down' technique works best. You can retard the PLs a knats cock faster than the 72 as the wing is less affected by slipstream. The real fun starts after touch down:
General:
- Plenty of into wind aileron. Too much is better than not enough. Avoid slight aileron deflections as you may be on the cusp of the spoiler (popping up) which will make directional control more awkward. Better to be well over and know that its out and staying out, besides another gust is probably just around the corner.
- Forwards pressure on CC to allow NWS, especially when applying reverse. With the engines on the high wing, it will tend to pitch nose up.
- Make damn sure both 'Low Pitch' lights are on before selecting reverse.
- As skipper: no rush for NWS. Keep using the flying controls, fly the aircraft along the ground. Get the control column where you want it. Tell F/O 'Your Tops' and release your own grip slowly, making sure F/O is keeping control column in correct position. Then and only then move left hand to the tiller.
- As F/O, don't just touch down and announce 'you have'. You are responsible for the ailerons and elevators, for the entire duration of the landing roll. Don't expect the Skipper to be able to control the aircraft entirely with the Brakes and NWS.
Compared to the 72, brakes much less snatchy.
Other important point to note is that the difference between the Normal and Icing speeds is generally much bigger on the 42 (than the 72), therefore pitch response (and hence tendancy to over / under flare) is more dependant on flight conditions. Most people tend to overflare at the begining of the winter when they start using icing speeds as their motor skills have got used to the ammount of CC deflection required for normal speeds. Vice versa in the spring.
Other Icing Issues.
Use correct procedures for de-icing. Particularly watch out for thickened fluids. If corect procedures not followed, you may get very high pitch forces required at rotation.
WX Radar.
I'm no radar expert. Particular points of note:
The GCR (Ground Clutter Reduiction) is pretty useless. It reduces CB returns as much as it does terrain. Anyone that tilts the antenna down and then uses the GCR is basically very optimistic. Tilt up, GCR off.
You get a lot of ground returns once below about 8 to 10,000 ish. I guess there are some sidelobes or something. Progressive tilt up is required.
Hope these points are of interest.
Standard Disclaimer.
CPB
[This message has been edited by Capt Pit Bull (edited 20 November 2000).]