Crosswind landings
 

I must admit I've always taken it pretty much for granted that when I board a flight I will read my book whilst the pilots get me up and back down again. But a recent landing in a strong crosswind has made me appreciate their efforts a bit more...

Was on a Dash-8 - we were thrown around on approach, landed at an angle of over 45 degrees to the right of the centreline, straightened up and taxied to the ramp like it never happened.

So, my question is to any pilots who browse this forum - how on earth do you keep such tight control in strong wind conditions? I find it amazing that a small tube with relatively small control surfaces can be controlled so precisely - amazing, really!

There is only one word for this technique on the Dash 8: fear! :\

I recall friends who flew the Short 330 in crosswinds said it needed both of one pair of hands on the control column and the other two hands on the rest of the bits. How they scratched 'personal' things or mopped their fevered brows I'll never know.

Shorts 360, Leeds, me a 'trusty' F/O with a new Captain who elected not to do the landing !

230/35 g 42kts.

I briefed for an approach on 14, I did the tops and rudder, he did the power to try and keep the speed somewhere near. On landing, he applied full reverse, not just beta, I had the tops full over and down.

We enjoyed a well deserved libation afterwards.

Some while later..........................

Locked onto the ILS at Leeds, 'tother end, by now in the left seat of a 321. The wind readout at 3,000' was 230/73kts - I was looking down the runway through the F/O's window.

Wind at the surface was within limits, just - strangled the sidestick, got it down - I hate working for my dollar :ok:

How about these?
http://www.pbase.com/glenns/image/36741305.jpg
http://www.pbase.com/glenns/image/54747953.jpg

Not quite
"landed at an angle of over 45 degrees!"

It probably felt like it! Felt like I did several of those up in the Orkneys on 748s!

Presumably upside down, eh 'Toxic', since the discussion is about high-winged aircraft?:bored:

It certainly did feel like it! I was sat on the right, and could definitely see back down the runway on touchdown - great experience looking back (quite literally)

Was on a Wideroe Dash 8 (100?) at Honningsvag in northern Norway - comparable to the Orkneys, no doubt! Captain made me laugh, as his PA announcement following this was along the lines of "If you are alighting here, please be careful as you will have noticed that it is quite slippy"!

Seriously though, I am interested to know how you control such situations - is it simply sweat and toil?

check it with 747 fellows. they must be sitting over the grass in their cockpits with such grab angle.funny but hard job.worth a beer after.:ok:

When I was a very experienced Captain on B744s I gave the crosswind landing to my FO. In jest I said to him "I'm glad it is your landing". In reply the **** said "so am I".

What can you say to a reply like that.

Rather 'strong' xwinds are the norm in Shetland in the BN2 Islanders. Bloody aircraft is sooooo slow to respond I've sometimes had to use asymmetric power to make the damn thing yaw fast enough prior to touchdown. Sort of a combined 'wing down' & 'crab push' technique.

Pax man....do you mean the aircraft was pointing 45 degrees right of the centerline when you touched down???
If thats the case then the answer to your question is that they didn't handle it! It's always a bonus if the aircrft is pointig in the same direction that its travelling i when you touch the tarmac heh heh.

Not quite true - on B767 in + 29 kts. x-wind - no line up prior to touchdown. Regards. Twin2040

twin 2040, I did not know that. Thankyou.
I think the basic jist of my post still stands however, in a dash you can bet your ass the pilots were hoping/wanting/trying for the plane to be aligned with the runway when they brought the full weight of the aircraft to bear on it.
NB I'm not mocking the crew..I would if my landings were perfect but they're not, having said that I would think about modifying my crosswind limits if the pax could look back down the runway!!!!

Folks- according to Flt Lt W Mitty, <<Presumably upside down, eh 'Toxic', since the discussion is about high-winged aircraft?>> all discussion of anything but high wing aircraft is to cease immediately!

As a matter of interest, as an aside comment, and disobeying Mitty's requirements, the 747 in a crosswind is easy. Just keep yourself slightly to one side of the centreline, don't allow yourself downwind at all. I think the MD10 is probably slightly harder in that the distance from the main gear to the flight deck is bigger. Now back to high wing only's please!

Thanks for reply Cjam - fly safe and good landings to all of you. Jep - back to the highwings. Regards. Twin2040

pax-man

The Dash 8-300 is an absolute jem to handle in a stiff cross wind compared to some other types. The straight wing (usually found on turbo props) makes it extremely responsive to your control inputs, and its huge rudder allows runway alignment well in excess of it's (demonstrated) cross wind limit.

The whole approach can be flown in the 'wing down' attitude, however, this is hard work for the crew, and is rather uncomfortable for the punters!! Much better to fly a smooth stable crabbed approach and then push the nose straight and lower the into wind wing just prior to the flare.

Touching down on one main wheel first generally gives the smoothest touchdown on the dash, and even with no cross-wind, many pilots tend to 'cheat' a little by inventing a slight cross-wind in the flare and slightly lowering a wing to ensure a nice landing (if the conditions are suitable)!

Now, if you want to witness a crew genuinely fighting their way down an approach, hop on board an Embraer 145 on a windy day:eek:

W-S

when I was flying Dash's a mate of mine was on the B1900 and she told me that she used to purposely put one wheel down first for a better landing so I tried it in the dash, didn't seem to make much difference for me so flagged it away, it lands beautifully anyway.
Is it a common trick in other planes?