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Old 04-05-2005 | 08:24 AM
  #20  
MajorTomski's Avatar
MajorTomski
 
Joined: Apr 2003
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From: Oklahoma City, OK
Default RE: Crosswind Landing

I quote myself from August of last year

Ok guys t he three methods of landing crosswind.

ONE
The its a hobby and let's keep this as simple as possible method. On final,on the extended centerline of the runway, allow the airplane to crab, wings level into the wind to maintain a ground track on the extended centerline of the runway. Now, except for gusts, all you have to worry about is pitch and power to land on the centerline of the runway, just as if there were no crosswind at all. OMG! you're going to land in a CRAB! The ONLY reason a 1:1 airplane aligns with the runway in the first place is to keep from tearing the landing gear out from excessive sideload. WE don't have that problem on our models. Once the mains are down and the wing is no longer flying, now add rudder to stay on the centerline of the runway.

TWO
Copy the 1:1 airliner method. Again on final,on the extended centerline of the runway, allow the airplane to crab, wings level into the wind to maintain a ground track on the extended centerline of the runway. Now, except for gusts, all you have to worry about is pitch and power to land on the centerline of the runway, just as if there were no crosswind at all, except, just before touch down you add or kick in enough rudder to align with the runway. In a heavy crosswind you MAY add just a touch of opposite aileron to roll in to the prevailing wind to keep the airplane from drifting to the downwind side of the runway. This method is taught to almost ALL 1:1 scale pilots because it is the easiest to do when flying an instrument approach, and it is the most comfortable to the passengers.

THREE
The let's see how difficult and masochistic we can make this, and raise the probability of a stall spin crash on final, increase the rate of decent and see if we can cartwheel by hitting the wingtip first method. Again on final,on the extended centerline of the runway, this time yaw the airplane away from the prevailing wind with the rudder. This will cause the ground track to now slide downwind. Now add opposite aileron to slip the airplane back into the prevailing wind and use the canted lift off the wing to pull the airplane back onto the ground track on the extended centerline of the runway. So, far from the end of the runway, you're flying OLD SCHOOL of what is in essence a side slip to maintain runway centerline. Now you are low, slow and you already have the cross controlled inputs to start a beautiful one turn spin to a crash short of the runway. If you do make it to the runway hold the crab/ cross control into the flair and land on the up wind wheel, then slowly let all of this out till you track down the centerline. In a full scale airplane this is an un coordinated condition and is guaranteed to make your passengers very uncomfortable, if not down right scared.

Which makes more sense to you?

I'm sorry, y'all can advocate a long slip down final till the cows come home, it is no longer done that way in full scale because it is un coordinted flight, and you are raising the danger of loosing the plane to a low stall-spin.
YES practice slips to learn how to increas drag to get a plane quickly down over a tree line but for heavens sake take the simple method in landing; crab to maintain the needed groudnd track and touch down that way.