Comments on: Breezy this month

By: John Billings

John Billings — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 12:33:04 +0000

“• Attempting to land in crosswinds that exceed the airplane’s maximum demonstrated crosswind component. — Is this limiting? Not unless it is in the limitation section of the POH. If it’s not a limitation it still might be challenging to explain why you thought you could do better than the factory test pilots.”

This person needs to research the method of publishing the “Maximum demonstrated crosswind component”. It is NOT the result of a test pilot’s prowess… It was the crosswind component that existed the day the airplane was certificated!

By: Tisserand

Tisserand — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 23:39:34 +0000

Joe thanks to remind us about : not to use the flaps with strong crosswind

being part of yr 95% i will do my best to keep it cleaner

regards

By: Joe H.Gutierrez

Joe H.Gutierrez — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 23:06:01 +0000

Ninty Five percent of pilots landing in strong cross or quarting head winds make the same mistake, they all use flaps!! What in hell for?? The minute you start lowering the flaps you are allowing the wind to get ahold of all that area and push you around, especially in Cessnas. The cleaner you keep your airplane in landing in strong winds the more control you as pilot have. Flaps were only intended to disend at a steep angle without increasing airspeed. Why Instructors continoue to teach using flaps in strong wind landings is not good and should be done away with. In fact some pilots don’t know how to land an airplane withour flaps. Bad pilotage..Having strong head winds in landing supports the aircraft already..Try it, you will like it very much..

By: Bruce Landsberg

Bruce Landsberg — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 13:25:15 +0000

Mike….

I like the $5.79 approach. Geoff, that was sporty and I’m sure you’ve decided that bit more go-juice is good idea. The whole crosswind practice business really is essential for new and rusty pilots.

Redbird Flight Simulators has a crosswind simulator that they often demonstrate at the bigger shows. Teaches the basics and if you can’t find a real xwind to work with, this isn’t a bad idea at all.

By: Mike Damiano

Mike Damiano — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 21:37:04 +0000

I’ve been telling others about the $5.79 rule. At 30 degrees it’s 50%, at 45 degrees it’s 70% and at 60 degrees it’s 90 percent. Don’t know if this is original or not but when my CFI was first trying to explain cross wind component he wanted to know how I could always do them in my head. I’m an engineer so sine wave values are something I learned a long time before I started flying. He picked the angles I gave him the 5,7,9 and we decided it was pretty much the change you get at lunch.
In any event unless it’s your home airport pretty much every cross wind landing is a new learning experience

By: Geoff Garcia

Geoff Garcia — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 13:36:53 +0000

One time in a huge crosswind when I did not have enough fuel to go around I made a last moment alignment and landed the 172 on the runway aligned with the ramp between the taxiway and the runway. That seemed to work well.

By: Jeff Sponberg

Jeff Sponberg — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 15:48:19 +0000

People seldom change their habits, particularly when flying only during certain months of the year. I encourage any pilot who has difficulties with crosswinds to seek out not just a CFI, but a CFI who isn’t timid about instructing in strong winds. During my CFI days I saw some pretty scary landings…This article hit the nail on the head.