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cross wind landings

2

2johns

Active Member
I've read that it is a normal practice to land a 747 in a crab to touch down to avoid dragging the engine pods. Since the CG is forward of the main gear it straightens out on its own to the runway alignment. Because the CG of a tail dragger is behind the main gear, it seems they would seem to ground loop. I would be interested to hear from RV pilots who have experience RV models who have flown RV's equipped with both types of gear. Which is better in a cross wind?
 
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It is all based on your crosswind technique.

I have landed my taildragger RV-9 in a 32 knot direct crosswind, much to the amazement of the control tower (and myself).

The RV's are amazingly controllable and on windy days, at our little airpark, often I am the only one flying.

PS. Even with a tricycle landing gear, you want to use the proper crosswind technique and not land like the airliners do. Meaning, use your rudder to keep the plane lined up with the runway and your ailerons for left or right positioning to put it on the centerline.
 
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My opinion - -

An RV-12 is very light, with a large vertical stab and very difficult to land in direct crosswinds much above 15kts. If you don't have lots of experience in an RV-12, I would work my way up with crosswind experience until you KNOW your comfort level. Very recently I landed with a 17kt crosswind at 70 degrees from runway. One wheel, flaps off immediately, and it still 'bounced' into the air with a quick gust. You really have to be ready for anything.
 
The 12 is not good for transitioning from a crab to "wing low" by crossing the controls. Just doesn't seem to work out well. I think reason for this is slow payoff in ground effect because of light weight and low stall speed. Flaperons don't produce much roll at slow airspeed with flaps fully deployed.

That said it is supper easy to land in crosswind by holding crab and kicking rudder just prior to touching down to align nose with runway.
 
I learned to fly in the midwest where the wind always seemed to be blowing and never down the runway! I was always more comfortable with the wing low crosswind technique for a good part of the final approach.

Still trying to work this out but I can't get that to work all that well with my -12 with a significant crosswind. As was mentioned, the -12 has a pretty large vertical fin and I run out of rudder trying to slip into a larger crosswind.

I'm currently experimenting with a crab and kicking it straight. A higher speed and flying onto the runway seems to help as well. I'm not anywhere near ready to tackle a 17 kt/70 deg crosswind John was able to pull off, though.
 
I try to keep the upwind wing low and use rudder to keep aligned. I'm still practicing, some days I'm better at it than others. For the days when I just don't seem to get it right, a little kick at the last second gets it straightened out. Some days it seems like I run out of rudder, but honestly I think it's more a matter of just running out of pilot.

It's Omaha. There's usually wind, it's rarely aligned with the runway, and it's never constant. It's a great place to practice landings.
 
Dave12 said:
Agreed....
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Same. I crab right up to the flare. I find the wind is often very different 3 feet off the runway than it is 10 feet higher. Have landed the 9A in up to 16G20 crosswind (reported). But I always plan on making it a go-around until I get right above the runway and see how it really is. The huge rudder on the 9A is big help.

Chris
 
19 knots steady ... keep the upwind wing low and align with rudder. Add some speed on final to keep positive control and fly it on the runway.... keep the control inputs in during rollout. I don't use flaps on cross windy days .....
 
RV-4, crab to touchdown and transition to wing low for wheel landing. Always full flaps. Works fine for up to 20Kts crosswind component.
 
I think with the -12 it's not so much it's ability to deal with a constant crosswind, it's more gusting side winds that create challenging landings. It's very light and gets picked up by the wind a lot especially with yaw axis changes, that's something to be conscious about.

i would say that's the biggest thing to be concerned about in any plane, people shouldn't have a misconception about a planes ability to deal with a certain crosswind component. It's the gust factor and or turbulence that is going to require the high level of experience on landing.
 
Azjulian said:
I think with the -12 it's not so much it's ability to deal with a constant crosswind, it's more gusting side winds that create challenging landings. It's very light and gets picked up by the wind a lot especially with yaw axis changes, that's something to be conscious about.

i would say that's the biggest thing to be concerned about in any plane, people shouldn't have a misconception about a planes ability to deal with a certain crosswind component. It's the gust factor and or turbulence that is going to require the high level of experience on landing.
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Concur.
Trust me, when it comes to gusty crosswind landings, it's not any different from any other LSA.
 
KALEWIS said:
19 knots steady ... keep the upwind wing low and align with rudder. Add some speed on final to keep positive control and fly it on the runway.... keep the control inputs in during rollout. I don't use flaps on cross windy days .....
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I concur with you....don't use flaps; touch down with power a little faster; and the gusts won't cause you as much trouble.. The -12 is a great airplane!
 
The only thing that has really been different for me in the 12 is the way gusts can push it around because it is lighter than the other GA aircraft I'm used to. I've found the old advice about adding half the wind and all the gust to my final approach speed seems to work very well in the 12.
 
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