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Old 03-03-2009 | 08:42 PM
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Silver182
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From: Littleton, CO
Default RE: Crow and crosswind?

ORIGINAL: mr_matt

What do you guys think?

I might be heading for a heavy crosswind weekend and I am not sure how the BobCat ARF will respond with and without crow.

Anyone got any thoughts on the matter?

Thanks in advance,

Hi Matt,
Basic aerodynamics.. you always need to add a little airspeed for every added 5 Mph crosswind. You may remember the day after the hurricane frontal passage at Superman! I remember adding about 15 mph to my approach speed while doing touch-n-go's.

My BobCat is an early built-up XL..no flaps so no crow between the flaps & ailerons. But I did have crow available for extra drag (both rudders in) but personally I would never crank in extra drag during a 1/4ing or direct crosswind of more than 10 mph. Cross control and if anything added lift say 10 degrees of flap if you've got it is the best method in a crosswind landing!

An easy formula that works with any aircraft is: apply enough rudder to keep the landing gear tracking parallel with the runway center line.... and then apply what ever aileron is necessary to keep the aircraft on the center line. Of course pitch control and power as necessary! This formula in extreme wind conditions will end up in an upwind main landing gear touching down first then the other main and nose wheel will follow.

I had an instructor working with me during my Commercial check ride prep that believed a good crosswind landing required nose wheel and upwind main touching at the same time and then lower the wing. Needless to say he could never demonstrate what he was talking about.. so I had to teach him how to do it safely!

I had to land in Hays KS one day with about an hour of fuel remaining... after three go-a-rounds in a 43 gusting to 50 mph direct crosswind in my 182. They actually sent line boys out to wing walk us in... not a bad idea, I thanked them you bet. I used my well tried and trusted formula for crosswind landings it worked great.. but the reason for the three go-a-rounds as you might have guessed..was that I had to increase airspeed each time until I could get the rudder off the stops to hold parallel. That was a fun day)
Lee