Cross wind landings
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now try my technique. Drop your wing into wind and line the aircraft up on the runway with rudder. Continue and land it initially on the lowest mainwheel. You can land 'em, no sweat with 40 kts across that way!" Since that advice was received, I have found it to work successfully on all light single and twins I have ever flown, Twin Otters, Shorts 330s and Jetstreams. I have also been advised by colleagues that it also works on B707s, B737s, B747s, DC3s, DC6s and A330s.
In regard to risk by the way for those of you who feel you may be killed on short final by flying a 3 degree powered approach I can go back 50 years on my airfield and the only serious accidents I know of are 4- only one on tbe airfield, an instructor landed back on the runway after an engine failure on take off and went off the runway across the road. The other two were CFIT accidents caused by flying in IMC below safety altitude and the other one was a steep turn after take off in which the pilot lost control hit the ground and was killed.
If anyone can provide AAIB evidence of a loads of accidents in the last 50 years in the UK on finals due to to engine failure I would be more than happy to change my thinking.
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There have been a number of accidents on final - often due to carb icing. Of course there was a very public Boeing into Heathrow due to fuel icing, but for GA, consider the G-ATRR fatal accident as an example though there have been more than a handful of less serious accidents.
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We are talking about SE a/c here so reference to the Boeing isnt relevant.
G-ATRR wasnt an engine failure and no cause of failure were found. Carb icing was suggested as being possible. The a/c struck a promulgated obstruction on the approach which was notified in the AIP.
Most instructors teach returning tbe carb air control to cold on PA 28s at around 300ft a very foolish procedure
If you look at my early post wihch stated
An approach with an obstacle promulgated in the AIP is a hostile approach area.
G-ATRR wasnt an engine failure and no cause of failure were found. Carb icing was suggested as being possible. The a/c struck a promulgated obstruction on the approach which was notified in the AIP.
Most instructors teach returning tbe carb air control to cold on PA 28s at around 300ft a very foolish procedure
If you look at my early post wihch stated
However at an airfield that does have a hostile approach area consideration should be given to flying a full glide approach to the threshold
Could not agree more, and carb heat cold on short final is directly contrary to the POH before landing checklist in every carburated single engine Cessna.
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OK, so engines exploding or falling apart on final are pretty rare, but in my book if the engine stops or fails to deliver the required power then that's engine failure. If it happens to stop because of something I've done or failed to do, the aircraft is still a glider. So what's the problem with adopting a standard approach that ends in a successful on-field landing in the event of the engine stopping?
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So what's the problem with adopting a standard approach that ends in a successful on-field landing in the event of the engine stopping?
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So what's the problem with adopting a standard approach that ends in a successful on-field landing in the event of the engine stopping?
Do you carry a parachute? Probably not because you realise the risk of having an incident where a parachute would save you are minimal-now apply the same logic to a glide approach and you will come up with the answer.
As a matter of interst if the engine stopped for a real during a glide approach that would put you below your idle power glide angle - have you ever considered that?
Last edited by Pull what; 7th Sep 2015 at 22:37.
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Whatever the arguments for or against, we are all here talking about it so whatever individuals use it seems to be working. For myself I've had one or two hairy moments when landing in strong and gusty winds but I've never left the runway or broken the wheels off, and I guess every one else here can say the same.
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A glide approach isnt a standard approach, a powered approach is a standard approach, thats why by far the majority of schools teach powered approaches as standard.
Do you carry a parachute? Probably not because you realise the risk of having an incident where a parachute would save you are minimal-now apply the same logic to a glide approach and you will come up with the answer.
As a matter of interst if the engine stopped for a real during a glide approach that would put you below your idle power glide angle - have you ever considered that?
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I can reccomend what I called the 'training captain method' of crosswind landing, thats were you land with all the drift on and let the U/C supply the skill. The last time I saw it demonstrated was at Leeds and it took 2 tyres out and all the overhead bins on one side fell down on the passengers, oh happy days
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We all have different ways of doing things, including how we approach and land airplanes.
I am most comfortable with the approach and landing when I close the throttle/'s at fifty feet above the touch down point, I became comfortable with using that method when I was flying DC3's off airports on wheel skis both on snow/ice and gravel/sand surfaces.
Works like a charm for me in most airplanes.
Never seen an aircraft either fixed or rotary wing that could not be safely landed without power.
P.S..::
I am not suggesting you should fly a heavy jet that way.
I am most comfortable with the approach and landing when I close the throttle/'s at fifty feet above the touch down point, I became comfortable with using that method when I was flying DC3's off airports on wheel skis both on snow/ice and gravel/sand surfaces.
Works like a charm for me in most airplanes.
Never seen an aircraft either fixed or rotary wing that could not be safely landed without power.
P.S..::
I am not suggesting you should fly a heavy jet that way.
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This Brit doesn't. It's always been 'final to land ' for me. Finals is grammaticaly incorrect and annoys me intensely, as it did my flying instructor.
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Why do the Brits call on final on finals?
2. I was applying the plural to the word for the purposes of that sentence
The correct RT call is 'Final or 'Final to land' if its the last in a series of circuits.
"Final to Land", is not the correct call unless you are completing a series of circuits
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This Brit doesn't. It's always been 'final to land ' for me. Finals is grammaticaly incorrect and annoys me intensely, as it did my flying instructor.
Weird, really weird.
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We all have different ways of doing things, including how we approach and land airplanes.
I would certainly reccomend all single engine pilots to regularily practice glide approachs, but to practice them as an abnormal or emergency procedure to enhance engine out judgement not as a standard approach.
Good night!