Crosswind landings
Two methods to defeat this curse
Airfields in the first third of the twentieth century were literally open fields, sometimes with a windsock or tetrahedron in the middle. Pilots would simply note the wind direction and then take off or land into it. It was the invention of actual runways that created crosswinds—and they’ve cursed and confounded pilots ever since.
During crosswind takeoffs and landings, pilots must overcome their airplanes’ natural tendencies to weathervane into the wind, raise the upwind wing, or get pushed downwind. Those things are much easier said than done, especially when the crosswind is gusty or varies in direction.
There are two basic strategies for crosswind landings: sideslip, or crab and kick. Sideslips (described on the right) tend to work well in light training aircraft—both the high-wing and low-wing kinds—and they require less dramatic control inputs and precise timing than the alternative.
The crab-and-kick method is often required in large multiengine aircraft. It tends to be less alarming to passengers, provides more ground clearance for engines, and shares landing loads on the main landing gear more evenly.
1. On final approach, bank into the crosswind steeply enough to track the extended centerline.
2. Use opposite rudder to keep the airplane aligned with the runway. This requires cross controlling, and that’s both uncoordinated and uncomfortable. The inclinometer ball will be hard over in the direction of bank, and your weight in the seat will shift that way, too.
3. As the airplane descends, the strength of the crosswind usually diminishes, so less bank angle and rudder pressure are required. That’s especially true once the airplane crosses the runway threshold and you flare in ground effect. The pilot’s attention at this point should be focused on tracking the runway centerline and correcting immediately for any lateral drift.
4. The airplane will touch down on one main wheel because of the bank angle, then the second main wheel, and finally the nosewheel. Don’t make the mistake of thinking the landing is over at this point. It’s not.
5. Add full aileron into the crosswind to prevent the upwind wing from rising. Add as much rudder pressure as needed to prevent the nose from turning into the wind. Be ready and willing to use full control deflection.
Crab and kick
When done properly, the crab-and-kick method allows passengers to enjoy a more comfortable and coordinated ride with level wings all the way to touchdown. This technique is all about timing.
1. On final approach, the pilot adjusts the airplane’s heading to crab into the crosswind. Just like crabs are known for walking sideways, your airplane will be flying with its wings level—but its heading and ground track will diverge.
2. Make heading adjustments using coordinated turns so that the airplane tracks the runway’s extended centerline. When compensating for a strong crosswind from the right, for example, the pilot should expect to see the runway out the left side of the windshield—not straight ahead.
3. Roundout and flare will be normal, but a moment before touchdown the pilot must step on a rudder pedal to align the fuselage with the runway and turn the ailerons into the crosswind at the same time. When adjusting for a crosswind from the right, the pilot will add left rudder and right aileron just before the main wheels touch down.
4. Once all three wheels are on the ground, the pilot holds the ailerons into the crosswind to prevent the upwind wing from rising while modulating rudder pressure to track the centerline.
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