Allan Orth
Fallbrook, California
Through what he calls "a variation on the sideslip," Davisson clears up confusion, encourages proper technique, and helps to avoid overthinking the problem. The pilot needs only to concentrate on keeping the airplane over the centerline and pointed straight. One way that I present this concept is to instruct the pilot to point the downwind leg-which is also the leg that pushes the rudder-straight down the runway while maintaining centerline with aileron. For example, if the wind is from the left, I tell the pilot, "Point your right leg straight down the runway and use whatever aileron you need to maintain centerline." As the pilot points that leg straight down the runway, he has the correct amount of rudder pressure to keep the longitudinal axis aligned. From there, he or she uses aileron for small drift corrections, all the way through touchdown and rollout.
By concentrating on pointing the downwind leg straight down centerline and steering with aileron for position over the centerline, I have seen many pilots master crosswind landings and grow in confidence of their piloting skills.
Wes Kautzmann
South Bend, Indiana
I read "Uncrossing Crosswind Landings" with considerable interest and amusement. For many years, I've been teaching students that the key concept for crosswinds is, "Stop the drift with aileron; keep it straight with your feet." Decoupling the tasks of arresting side drift and maintaining runway alignment keeps pilots from over-intellectualizing and helps promote instinctive reactions.
I also joke that the reason all the articles about crosswinds are so long and complex is that aviation writers get paid by the word. "Stop the drift with aileron; keep it straight with your feet" would only pay about $1.85, so writers pad out their articles and make crosswind technique seem much more complex. Davisson did that, too, filling three pages before summing everything up in one sentence in the last paragraph.
Bob Feugate
Mesa, Arizona
For the record, as much as writers would probably love to get paid by the word, each story is contracted as a whole product, not by word count. -Ed.
Diagrams crossed
Seems like the little airplane diagram to the right of the sideslip figure in "Uncrossing Crosswind Landings" on page 21 got blown off course. Most of us, I hope, land first on the upwind tire. Nice article with great descriptions otherwise!
Dave Epstein
Palo Alto, California
The illustration turned out to be a little confusing. Looking at the overhead diagram, one assumes it is touching down on the left tire first. If you look closely at the small airplane on the right, you'll notice you are looking at it head-on and it is on the left tire. Sorry for the confusion.-Ed.
A new pilot says thanks
I just wanted to say thanks for developing such a great magazine. It really helped me soar through the knowledge test with a 98 percent and recently pass my checkride at GAI (Gaithersburg, Maryland). I had been waiting for that seventeenth birthday to roll around and finally get the chance to show the designated pilot examiner my stuff.
Eric Brown
Gaithersburg, Maryland
Tell it like it is
I am a huge fan of Ralph Butcher's "Insights" column in AOPA Flight Training magazine. I really appreciate the fact that Butcher is not afraid to tell people what they need to hear, instead of what they want to hear (i.e., reporting a friend who is an unsafe pilot). Butcher also explains maneuvers in easy-to-understand, pilot-oriented language, and I believe that both my flying and decision-making skills have improved immensely because of his column.
Alex Hoffman
Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts
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