Re: Whoo Hooo: Crosswinds!
For the newer lower-time guys:
First, we've ALL been there, unless maybe we trained at Patuxent Test Pilot School. I am very lucky that my home base has 5-24, 9-27 and 14-32 runways. No, not because that allows me to always pick one close to the wind. Just the opposite. It gives me the opportunity to pick the worst runway and practice ... something I do often on windy days just for run. And then you know if you get tired or scare yourself, you always have an easy one to get in on. 3 exercises my old USAF instructor Sy taught me years ago that really help and I still do them:
1. Practice flying the entire length of the runway with your nose off the tarmac, especially when landing. Just don't let it touch. Find that place visually where you know your mains are just barely touching. I do this a lot on landing, just for fun. Hold the nose off as long as possible and just let it fall through at the last possible second. If the taxiway is way down, or no one is behind you, hold it off as long as you can. Find that exact speed where the plane loses that last shred of lift.
2. Practice flying the length of the runway (well if there are any obstacles maybe 2/3 of the length) with gear down with full flap, 20 degree and 10 degree, as low as you can without touching the pavement, then go around. Be very careful at full flap, just like any go around. This gives you that visual sense of just how low you can be and still be in a crab. It looks a bit different, and flies a bit different, at all 3 flap settings.
Do these until it becomes instinctual. You just "know" how close you are to touchdown.
3. Now, go out and find a good Xwind runway and practice flying a 2 mile final all the way down to the threshold and the entire runway length ... in a crab. You know you have found the right Xwind when, depending on the bird, between 12 & 15 knots flying in a slip with your foot to the floor, you just cannot hold the center line. (If you bail out on the crab and insist on going Cessna-style, speed up son, speed up, and lose some flaps. you will get more control back.) Again, this is great to do at all 3 flap settings. At first you can take it down to 15-20 feet in the crab with the gear up, which will scare the bejesus out of anyone watching you. So maybe announce you are making a low pass, gear up. Then when you get the visual cues down, go fly the crab with gear and flaps down, but don't land. Just hold the entire runway length. Practice kicking the crab out a few times down the runway and watch what happens. Do this lower as you are comfortable but be damn careful because you are still holding the crab. But notice how much easier and more comfortable you are than trying to hold that damn slip all the way down with your foot on the floor and you making bargains with God for just one more chance.
Now you are there. Fly that crab down to just entering the flare then begin to kick it out to line the nose up with the runway. (I am presuming you are over the center line!) As you do, feed in aileron into the wind to counter the drift and hold the center line. Low wing is now into the wind, nose is straight down the runway, keep pulling and done right, there should only be a second or two to touchdown. As soon as you touch down crank that aileron over hard into the wind and be prepared with opposite rudder until you slow down.
Wasn't that easy? It does take a while before it becomes instinctive, for sure. But you get it down, and you feel totally confident. 15-20 knot Xwinds become fun. 20-25 become intense but curious, because you know you will be okay of you just follow the steps. Over 25? You may want to stay home. I have done a few now. 28 G 33 in Monticello Utah, and 27 g 35 at EYE Eagle Creek, Indy, last May. My passengers eyes were bugging out at Indy , but I told him exactly what was going to happen, so he was cool. The lineman made a big deal how now one had landed for several hours. My colleague talked about it the whole rest of the day. Of course, I was able to assume the "no big deal ... I am P I L O T" posture.
Take your time. Have fun. Ask for help. Keep learning. That's what we all do.
