Simviation Forums

It there is one thing that I just suck completely at it is crosswind landings.

On a crosswind landing, you're going to touch down in line with the runway and with a wing low.  On your approach, you're going to be crabbed into the wind so you track the runway heading.  I wait until I cross the end of the runway, just before the round-out and flare to get the crab in and the wing down.  As an example, lets say the wind is from the left.  You will approach the runway with the nose pointed to the left of the runway enough to fly down the extended centerline.  As you get close to the flare, you'll want to point the nose of the airplane down the runway centerline using the rudder.  Since doing that will cause you to drift to the right, you'll have to roll to the left to stop moving relative to the runway and you'll want to hold the rudder and aileron in until you touch down.  Flare with the elevator like you normally do.  Since your touching down rolled to the left slightly, you'll touch down with the left wheel first, then the right wheel, and finally the nose wheel.  As the airplane settles on the runway, you'll want to slowly ease the rudder out so you don't touch the nosewheel down and go shooting off the side of the runway and you'll also want to slowly roll the aileron all the way to the left so any gusts don't flip the aircraft over as you're slowing down.  That should be about it.  Landing with a crosswind in FS is a bit tricky, but it can be done.

Ok, so for you Mobius, the kicking out of the crab part and wing low are really part of the same technique?

[quote]Ok, so for you Mobius, the kicking out of the crab part and wing low are really part of the same technique?

First off... if you can land an FSX C172 within a few feet of center-line, in a X-wind significant enough to have to contend with...

[quote]First off... if you can land an FSX C172 within a few feet of center-line, in a X-wind significant enough to have to contend with...

Thanks for all the info guys!

I have been told one reason to do the "kick out" method instead of slipping all the way down is passenger comfort.  Passengers don't seem to notice crabbing, but the aircraft side slipping is noticeable. 

[quote]
Brett_H:

[quote]I have been told one reason to do the "kick out" method instead of slipping all the way down is passenger comfort.

[quote]
Yeah.. those pesky passengers ..

It also works very well with long taxyways.

Those lousy airport designers - they make them look so attractive

My choice is to start the low wing, forward slip some distance before the end of the runway. What often gets neglected is that as you're rounding out to land and the airspeed decreases, aileron displacement needs to be increased to hold the low wing down and opposite rudder displacement needs to be increased to hold the airplane parallel with the runway. If you don't do these, the low wing will rise as the ailerons become less effective and the nose will turn toward the low wing, all because the controls are less effective at lower airspeeds. Hope this helps you.

Art

If anyone likes my trim tutorial (which is uploading now and SimTeeVee's taking *#$%@!! forever about it!) my next project is going to be a crosswind tute - 'cause I get to play with my Citabria. Working on it now.

Discussions of crosswind landings are great 'cause they always remind me of something I could/should have done better.