Crosswind + turb - landings in the A320 Family
 

Hi peeps!


1/. Does everyone agree that landing a light aircraft perfectly and consistently in a nasty slightly variable crosswind with bad turb can also be achieved, in the same way, in an A320 - except for the fact that when you go cross controls the stick should be neutral - as it is a rate lever as opposed to a flying control direct link to the control surfaces. As is the case and as TP said in his post in the long thread about crosswind properties in the sim?


2/. Also - can anyone confirm that the "landing mode" in the A320, if I have got it right, is closer to being Direct Law - if it is not in fact in direct law itself?


Put another way - are we in Direct Law when 10 feet off the ground or not (during landing)?


3/. Would everyone agree that during the landing roll and indeed during taxying in horrible crosswinds that applying into wind aileron will make both those . . .events a lot easier and in extreme conditions - attempting to taxy without into wind ailerons is a lot harder work, as the aeroplane will tend not to go where you want it? (due to the wind)


4/. Finally, if one is a Line Captain or a TRI - what`s the difference when in these conditions? Meaning: should not the senior member of the flight crew be helping the little fledgling along . . . or are there other factors in an A320 sized aircraft that preclude applying crosswind controls?
If so why does not everyone do it - why do things land rollout and taxy - the whole nine yards with no into wind input?


5/. As everyone is aware - landing in a crosswind and taking off in a crosswind - needs the applied aileron (into wind) as does taxying in a p--y crosswind too. The reason being - amongst others is that the wind is blowing onto the tailplane because the wind IS blowing onto the tail plane which pushes the tailplane one way causing the nose to want go the other way. What ever you do with your steering on the ground it is still going to have that affect - unless you apply into wind controls - as well. This can be better demonstrated in a lighter aircraft than a 70 to a 280 ton larger type.


Am I being picky?

I think a little too picky!

1 - As long as you put in the rudder sssslllllooooowwwlllyyyy - yup. But you will find me dipping the wing a couple of degrees during the process. If you 'kick' the rudder straight, you exceed the FBW effectiveness and will end up with the into wind wing going up.

2 - No. A nose down bias is applied thats all.

3 - On certain models with certain mods, the ailerons both go to full up deflection after touchdown, aileron on those models is pointless. Taxying with into wind cross control? Never done it, never needed. To be successful on this on light aircraft you have to have a constant idea where the LOCAL wind is (not just atc wind) as you have to reverse the controls when the wind passes the beam and you also have roll spoilers that deploy which aren't (normally!) present on light aircraft. The wind also channels around terminal buildings in horrible ways...

4 - I've removed my answer to this one.

5 - Applying aileron on takeoff means you can deploy ground spoilers. This can degrade your take off perf calc. Please be careful...

But - It doesn't matter what I've written above - The FCOM / FCTM is the gospel on this stuff. Under the taxi/takeoff/landing section, please check to see the recommended technique for crosswind operations.

5. Yes.

4. On Airbus, your Captain can't help you to feel the side stick input he is making - hence no assistance, only take over.

Have you tried reading http://www.skybrary.aero/bookshelf/books/179.pdf ?

It explains why you can land with wings level in X winds up to about 15 kts, but need a combination of bank and crab angle technique with stronger X winds.

cough and Goldenrivett
 

Thanks, very much. I will thus click.


BTW I got it wrong about the take off bit - this is obviously to ensure that the aircraft does weather cock into wind enough to apply the drift necessary to maintain the runway centreline as opposed to drifting off in the direction the wind is going (to) and to keep the into wind wing down - On that same note - and thank you for your comment - :ok:, and yer right ! Of course - for the take-off, it has been suggested half a cross deflection or is it half scale deflection - I must look that up.


Thank you for your links.

I've only been on the 320 family two months, but it amazes me how much mythology and rocket science surrounds that airplane. It's just an airplane, people, it can just be flown, I promise.

Yep. Flyboy like has it right. I flew the 320 left seat for 10 years. It is just an airplane and lands pretty much like every other one I have flown. It is easier to fly than most of the others though.