Crosswing Challenges

Handling crosswinds is part of the difficult flying skills taught as part of the ab-initio flight training. It consistently gives students problems to master before their release ‘into the wild’. In my experience, the problems associated with poor crosswind techniques are the use of elevator trim and the use of rudder. Neither are easy to master but both are paramount when the time has come to demonstrate crosswind technique.

So, how can a pilot learn to properly handle crosswinds?

How it should be done

Let’s begin with the takeoff roll.

A strong crosswind requires firm control inputs during the takeoff roll and after lift-off. The following is based on advice from Jim Davis, a very experienced pilot, instructor and aviation writer.

Assuming the crosswind is blowing from the left, the effects on the aircraft and their appropriate responses should be as follows.

Effect: During the takeoff roll, the wind will try to lift the ‘into-wind’ (left) wing, and the aircraft will want to skid sideways to the right, away from the wind.

Response: Turn the control column fully into wind to compensate for the wing lift. As the aircraft accelerates the airflow over the flight surfaces increases. This in turn means that the control authority (effectiveness) increases, so the aileron deflection is reduced gradually until you reach Take Off Safety Speed. By then the ailerons should be neutral to maintain ‘wings level’.

Throughout this process you should maintain sufficient control input to stop the upwind wing from lifting, but not so much that the downwind wing lifts.

To prevent skidding sideways, the tyres require good ground traction. You achieve this with forward stick (elevator down) until five to 10 knots above the usual takeoff speed. At this point, don’t ease back on the stick, but pull back smartly (as you would for a soft field takeoff) and get the aircraft off the ground quickly.

In the air

Effect: After lift-off the aircraft nose will attempt to align itself to the left, into the wind. It will also tend to drift to the right of the runway centreline, away from the wind.

Response: Once airborne, allow the aircraft nose to point into the wind, then use just enough rudder to allow the aircraft to maintain runway centreline. Use the ailerons to keep the wings level only (ie not to maintain directional control). You should crab along the runway centreline much like the crab method detailed below when approaching to land. Or if you have plenty of money, you can lobster along the runway instead. Maintain this attitude until ready to make your turn at 500 feet AGL.

Be prepared to apply very firm amounts of rudder to counteract the weathercocking – in this example, right rudder. Be aware that in a strong left crosswind, the propeller torque already requires some right rudder, reducing the amount available to counteract the wind. Conversely, when the crosswind is blowing from the right, you will require less rudder input to maintain the runway centreline.

On the upwind leg, I find it helpful to turn my head and upper body around to check that I am maintaining the centreline. Of course, this only works if the plane has a back window and the vision is not restricted. Leading with the shoulder (and not trying to turn the head only) seems to make this easier, especially for those of us who have traded some physical flexibility for ‘experience’.

In the circuit

When turning onto the different legs of the circuit it is very easy to experience drift by ignoring the effect of the wind in each position of the circuit. In extreme cases you may end up halfway onto downwind after completing the turn from crosswind.

As I commence a turn, I keep in mind the wind direction, and either undershoot if the wind is going to push me along the required flight path, or overshoot if the wind is going to push me away from where I am attending to fly.

I personally find that keeping an eye on the ground directly below, after each turn, allows me to gauge and therefore compensate for the drift experienced. Again, the wings stay level and I establish a crab angle.

Briefly back to the briefing room

Before talking about crosswind landings, let’s revise a couple of facts from the turning and the straight and level long briefing.

If you want to turn an aircraft, you need to roll it. The centripetal (centre-seeking) force will turn the aircraft. This works in much the same way as a motorcycle rider who wants to turn and does not turn the front wheel but instead leans toward the direction of the turn.

Being shaped a little bit like a dart, an aircraft will naturally tend to align itself with the wind (known as weathervaning or weathercocking).

‘A strong crosswind requires firm control inputs during the takeoff roll and after
lift-off’

On final, the pilot should keep the wings level and use the rudder to maintain directional control so that the flight path is in line with the runway.

In the landing during the flare, the rudder is used to bring the nose in the direction decided by the pilot (which in my opinion should definitely be in line with the runway centreline).

Respect my authority

Another point I need to explain is the effect of airflow over a flight surface. As the airspeed decreases during the landing phase, the magnitude of control inputs required by the pilot needs to increase to maintain the selected attitude, as less airflow is getting to the flight surfaces requiring greater and greater inputs as the plane slows down.

And, of course, any change in a control input leads to an increase of the secondary effect of that control, requiring an increase of the other control input to counteract that secondary effect.

More rudder input is required to maintain the runway centreline as the airspeed decreases, and this requires more aileron control input to keep from drifting, which in turn requires more rudder deflection to counteract the yaw associated with it, and so forth…as I normally describe a balance exercise for the plane and the pilot.

There are three main crosswind landing methods for light aircraft.

1. Wing low

Also known as the sideslip method, this involves using ailerons to lower the upwind wing into the wind and correct for sideways drift and using opposite rudder to counter the turning tendency and maintain runway alignment. Maintain this configuration through descent, into the flare and onto the ground. Touch down on the upwind main wheel first, followed by the downwind main wheel.

This is considered by some to be simpler to teach and an easier method to achieve a smooth touchdown, as it allows flying the same stable approach all the way to touchdown. However, the sideslip will lose height faster than normal, and the control surfaces will become less effective in the flare, requiring further coordinated aileron and rudder input.

I am personally not a great fan of this technique, it is so uncomfortable for me and my passengers. It feels like something’s not right. After a 500-foot descent in a sideslip configuration, as you flare you have to work on two inputs at the same time: Rudder to keep the aircraft going in a straight line, and more aileron to maintain the wing down. The magnitude of both of these inputs needs to increase as the aircraft slows down and the airflow over the flying surfaces make them less efficient.

Furthermore, controlling the airspeed with the help of the airspeed indicator might not be as accurate as expected.

2. The crab method

Keeping the wings level, maintain direction with rudder on the approach to land up to the point of the flare. The longitudinal axis of the aircraft will be at an angle to the runway centreline, but the aircraft should be tracking along the centreline. The aircraft is to be flared in this somewhat unusual attitude, and just before touchdown the rudder is used to bring the nose in line with the runway, maintaining the wings level during this process.

As long as the airplane touches down on the runway before it experiences drift (due to the wind pushing the aircraft sideways), this technique is very effective. In very high crosswinds, if necessary one could swing the nose through an even greater angle than full rudder allows due to inertia generated by rapid rudder input, but timing is the key.

3. The combined method

In the early stages of learning to fly an airplane it is unrealistic to expect a student to be able to judge the correct height at which to kick the rudder as described in the crab method section. Therefore, a combination of the two previous methods is normally taught. However, this is often done without mentioning or using reference to the two previous methods and their implications as the student becomes more proficient in the art of flying.

Use the crab technique up to the point of flare. At the flare, use the rudder to align with the runway centreline. The next part confuses most pilots: Wait for sideways drift to occur before lowering the upwind wing. This will take time due to inertia. Please note that the plane does not need the wing to be lowered to the point that it scrapes the runway! In most cases it is done too rapidly which leads to the pilot being unable to compensate for the secondary effect of roll… which is yaw.

Unfortunately, by trying to use both flight surfaces at once, everything goes bad. Most pilots tend to kick the rudder and at the same time lower the wing, and as a result everything turns to crap. Why? Let’s go back into the classroom.

To maintain control of the airplane, the pilot needs to change one thing at a time. This is due mostly to the secondary effect of the control.

Kick the rudder, the first effect is yaw and the secondary effect is roll.

Apply the aileron and the first effect is roll and the secondary effect is yaw.

There is no need to use both at the same time. As I previously mentioned, due to its own inertia the airplane will continue in the direction of movement for a time (which is proportional to its weight).

After landing

During the landing roll, use the rudder to maintain runway centreline and slowly add full aileron towards the windward wing. Continue this throughout the taxi until shutdown.

How much flap?

Flaps usually help in a steady crosswind by stabilising the aircraft. However, in gusty conditions it is generally not advisable to use full flap. Less flap will allow a shallower approach angle, and therefore less change in pitch transitioning into the flare. Less flap allows you to fly the approach at a higher than normal speed when the wind is gusting (generally add half the difference between the maximum gust speed and mean wind speed to the normal approach speed). Finally, a higher airspeed and lower flap setting is more conducive to a go around should one become necessary.

Maximum crosswind

What do you think is the highest amount of crosswind that you and your aircraft can handle for a safe landing? Hint: It isn’t the ‘demonstrated crosswind’ from the POH. For the answer (and more details on the techniques mentioned in this article) check out the full story on our website at aerocircus.com.au/conquering-crosswinds.

Crosswind is one of those techniques that is difficult to master because wind availability is never easy to forecast. It requires a cross-control technique (which is hardly ever used), and a lack of confidence may be developed through years of getting away with it.

Next time that the wind is more than 15 knots, grab an experienced instructor who has no issues with crosswind and ask to use the runway experiencing the highest crosswind component. Seek out and face the factors that you would normally want to keep away from. With practice you will have no choice but to get better at it. If it goes pear shaped, simply turn to the instructor and say “Handing over!

At least you might see how a crosswind landing can be salvaged.

Aero Circus was formed by a group of pilots with different experience levels from RPL to Grade 1 Instructor. Their aim is to bridge the gap between what the CASA syllabus teaches and what a truly safe or employable pilot needs to know. They achieve this by regularly publishing articles on various aspects of flying skills at aerocircus.com.au as well as providing detailed assessments of a pilot’s practical flying skills.

‘With practice you will have no choice but to get better at it’