Crosswind Operations

Keeping It Lined Up with the Runway

by Mark Heiner

How proficient are you in crosswinds? An incorrect crosswind procedure can sometimes result in a skid and a little rubber left on the runway. At worst, it could result in a ground loop, collision with obstacles adjacent to the runway, or an even more serious accident. A solid knowledge of crosswind procedures, combined with adequate training, will help you become proficient and ultimately increase safety.

Know Your Airplane

Before operating in high winds, you should be familiar with your airplane’s operating limitations. All aircraft that have been certified in the last 50 years have a “demonstrated crosswind” speed published either in the Pilot’s Operating Handbook or on a placard. This is not the maximum crosswind allowed for any given aircraft. Demonstrated crosswind speed is just what it says: it is the maximum crosswind component demonstrated to the FAA during the certification program for that aircraft. If the maximum crosswind experienced during certification of a given airplane was 10 knots, and the test pilot was able to land and take off in that crosswind “without requiring exceptional pilot ability or skill,” then 10 knots becomes the maximum demonstrated crosswind speed. This is true even if the airplane is capable of handling a greater crosswind. The demonstrated crosswind speed should be used as a guide to help “average” pilots not get in over their heads. However, older aircraft have no demonstrated crosswind speed. In the absence of a published number, 0.2 Vso works well. Remember that these numbers are only guidelines. Set your own personal limits and stick to them. It is always better to be on the ground wishing you were in the air, than in the air wishing you were on the ground!

Taxi

Procedures for strong winds should begin before you even start the engine, since an aircraft could tip over or scrape a wingtip when it’s taxiing, or even parked. Ground school teaches us to “fly” the aircraft while on the ground. The correct control position is to turn the ailerons into the wind and pull up-elevator for headwinds. When taxiing with a tailwind, turn the ailerons away from the wind and push down-elevator. One way to remember this is to “climb into a headwind and dive away from a tailwind.”

Takeoff

During takeoff, the controls should be placed to keep the aircraft straight down the runway and to prevent the wind from lifting the upwind wing. Start the takeoff roll with full aileron into the wind and enough rudder to track straight down the runway. As the ailerons become effective, reduce the control deflection; keep enough control input to prevent the upwind wing from lifting, but not so much that you lift the downwind wing. Hold the airplane on the ground until a higher speed than you normally lift off, then rotate abruptly to prevent the aircraft from settling back into the ground after takeoff.

Many pilots are more concerned with crosswind landings than takeoffs. However, both takeoffs and landings can be challenging in strong crosswinds. One concern during takeoff is that torque requires right rudder, reducing the amount of rudder available to counter a crosswind. In a strong left crosswind, you may not have enough control to continue tracking straight down the runway. Furthermore, acceleration may be slow, requiring a long run at high ground speeds, particularly at high density altitudes. This increases the risk, because there is more time for a gust to cause a loss of control.

Landing

The primary challenge during landing is that the controls lose effectiveness as airspeed decreases. This means that the aircraft could have adequate control to track straight down the runway during approach, but lose that ability during the flare. Because of this challenge, more time is usually spent on crosswind landings than crosswind takeoffs during training.

There are several techniques for crosswind landings. Many pilots prefer to remain in a crab until the flare, then straighten out right before touchdown. Although this is the most comfortable for passengers, it gives the pilot no indication if the crosswind is too strong for the airplane to handle. What happens if you kick out the airplane and there isn’t enough control to track straight down the runway? You may land in a crab, which could result in a ground loop or collision.

A better procedure is to use a slip on final. Keep the airplane lined up with the runway using rudder, and control drift by banking into the wind. Although the passengers may complain that they’re flying sideways, this procedure gives the pilot ample time to set up the approach and determine the strength of the crosswind. If you can’t keep it lined up on approach with full control deflection, then you’ll know early that the wind is too strong for landing. In this case, you could increase the bank into the wind; this decreases the rudder required to maintain heading, but can also be dangerous. If the wind is so strong that you must use this procedure, consider the fact that the controls will lose effectiveness as you flare. You might still run out of rudder, placing the outcome of your landing in doubt.

On wide runways, you can land at an angle to the runway. In most cases, you can reduce the crosswind angle by five degrees or more. In fact, in a Husky or similar airplane, it may be possible to land entirely across a 200-foot runway, with a 20-knot or greater wind.

In some aircraft, the use of flaps during landing will limit rudder authority, because they can block airflow to the rudder. If your aircraft limits slips with flaps, be careful landing in a slip and consider landing without flaps or with partial flaps.

As with all flight, learning from someone with experience is still the best way to become proficient. When the winds approach your comfort level, find a CFI to practice crosswind procedures. Of course, be sure that the wind does not exceed your CFI’s comfort level. Learning from the experience of others can save a lot of bent aircraft.

Mark Heiner is an FAA safety counselor and the chief test pilot for Aviat Aircraft, Inc. He has signed off nearly every Husky and Pitts Special built. He has been flying for 34 years and has more than 11,000 hours in over 150 different types of aircraft, mostly single engine, tailwheel models.