http://www.swaviator.com/html/issueja02/Basics7802.html

 

Hi, the above should answer lots of questions regarding crosswind operations, good article.

 

Echofox

If you are taking off with a crosswind, then presumably you will also be landing with a crosswind.  This is where FSX can lead to the development of a bad habit.  Many flight simmers habitually land in a crab into the crosswind.  In real life this is bad.  It puts a big, potentially damaging load on the landing gear, and this crabbed orientation upon touchdown can cause a taildragger to veer into the wind, possible leading to a groundloop. (There are some non-taildragger exceptions, some planes like the Ercoupe, B-52 bomber and some airliners are designed for yawed landings). 

 

FSX tends to allow improper landing technique, landing in a crab, without imposing any significant negative consequences on the plane and pilot - the plane usually just slides sideways.  But still, to do it right, the plane should be facing straight down the runway, not in a crab, upon touchdown.

If you are taking off with a crosswind, then presumably you will also be landing with a crosswind.  This is where FSX can lead to the development of a bad habit.  Many flight simmers habitually land in a crab into the crosswind.  In real life this is bad.  It puts a big, potentially damaging load on the landing gear, and this crabbed orientation upon touchdown can cause a taildragger to veer into the wind, possible leading to a groundloop. (There are some non-taildragger exceptions, some planes like the Ercoupe, B-52 bomber and some airliners are designed for yawed landings). 

 

FSX tends to allow improper landing technique, landing in a crab, without imposing any significant negative consequences on the plane and pilot - the plane usually just slides sideways.  But still, to do it right, the plane should be facing straight down the runway, not in a crab, upon touchdown.

Crabbing is the excepted practice for all large aircraft landing in a crosswind. Particularly jet a/c.  To side slip such a/c is extremely risky.

Side slipping where one crosses controls with ailerons and opposite rudder is reserved only for light GA aircraft.

If one takes-off with a cross wind then one cannot presume that there is a cross wind at the landing destination.

Crabbing is the excepted practice for all large aircraft landing in a crosswind. Particularly jet a/c.  To side slip such a/c is extremely risky.

Side slipping where one crosses controls with ailerons and opposite rudder is reserved only for light GA aircraft.

If one takes-off with a cross wind then one cannot presume that there is a cross wind at the landing destination.

Yeah, I think we're all aware that if you take off with a crosswind, it is possible that there might not be a crosswind upon landing - especially if you're landing at a different airport!  I was speaking rhetorically with the "presumably" part of my comment. 

 

A pilot might be able to land a large plane such as a B-17, Ford Trimotor, DC3 or Lancaster in a crab and get away with it, but I don't think it would be recommended.  (Incidentally, I have observed a Ford Trimotor successfully land in a strong crosswind, and the pilot definitely did not land in a crab).  Many large multi-engine jets must land in a crab because if they did otherwise, landing with the upwind wing low,  the engine would hit the pavement!

I believe that FSX has always modeled crosswinds landings poorly, especially on touchdown. One mod that fixed this for me is the ground friction mod.

 

 

A pilot might be able to land a large plane such as a B-17, Ford Trimotor, DC3 or Lancaster in a crab and get away with it, but I don't think it would be recommended. 

It is the recommended method for all a/c except light GA. So yes the pilots of the above mentioned a/c would have only used the crab method. It's not difficult and it's much safer than side slipping.

If you are taking off with a crosswind, then presumably you will also be landing with a crosswind.  This is where FSX can lead to the development of a bad habit.  Many flight simmers habitually land in a crab into the crosswind.  In real life this is bad.  It puts a big, potentially damaging load on the landing gear, and this crabbed orientation upon touchdown can cause a taildragger to veer into the wind, possible leading to a groundloop. (There are some non-taildragger exceptions, some planes like the Ercoupe, B-52 bomber and some airliners are designed for yawed landings). 

 

FSX tends to allow improper landing technique, landing in a crab, without imposing any significant negative consequences on the plane and pilot - the plane usually just slides sideways.  But still, to do it right, the plane should be facing straight down the runway, not in a crab, upon touchdown.

 

Landing while crabbed with no correction is bad yes, but crabbing into the wind is a sound method during training.  I prefer it over the slip because in a slip you're in a cross controlled state.  With the crab you're coordinated and then just slightly correct before touch down.  Obviously you'll want to learn how to do a slip so you can correct for landing touchdown.

 

 

At my age, it's "The more we learn, the less we remember."

  funny and at the same time "sad but true". Although the latter (I mean "...the less we remember" in case you forgot it already; just kidding!) enables us to be gentle at last. B)

Side slipping where one crosses controls with ailerons and opposite rudder is reserved only for light GA aircraft.

Maybe this is true to a certain degree.

But from my PPL flying experience I learned that slips are actually only good for "non-flappers" like tail dragging double-deckers to reduce speed on final and making runway alignment easier on touch down in cross winds.

 

I remember quite well the label in the Cessna C172 "Avoid slips with flaps extended" as it can be seen in the linked picture below...

 

https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5209/5343131864_c2e8f8d73d_z.jpg

 

Using the slip method is nevertheless the "only" technique to slow down your C172 for landing with "flaps failed" (keeping 80 kts until the threshold, IIRC...) . :huh:

On final approach with full flaps and crabbing into a cross wind you actually have more control than if you were side slipping.