FSX-SE Crosswind Landing Support

[johnfo 1]

Hi guys 

I'm looking for some advice on crosswind landings - something I am struggling with in the sim. 
The problem I am facing is that when I have a crosswind I either find myself too far to the left of the RWY or too far to the right. If the wind is blowing from the left my plane is obviously being pushed to the right so I understand that but then I correct to the left with left aileron then I am too far to the left. 

I am unable to get the aircraft into a crab angle as seen in tutorials online. Whenever I try to set a crab angle I just drift from either left or to right. I am assuming I am somehow not using the rudder correctly or something?  
Should I be setting the rudder trim at all? I always have that set to zero so not sure whether that should be used? 
(I am using the aerosoft Airbus by the way)

Any advice at all would be appreciated to aid my frustration ha. 
Thanks. 
 

[stans 702]

I'm not a real pilot, but when I do a crosswind landing in flight sims, I use the rudder to crab the fuselage, ailerons to maintain level wings.

[skelsey 765]

Hello,

There are two main methods of landing in a crosswind -- the 'crab' method, where you offset your heading in to the wind with wings level and balance ball in the centre so that you track down the centreline (but the nose will not be pointing along the runway), and the 'wing down' method where you use opposing aileron and rudder inputs to set up a sideslip. This means that the nose of the aeroplane will be aligned with the centreline, but there will be some back angle and the balance ball will not be in the centre. Some might also say there is a third method which is a combination of the two -- crab to some lowish height above the runway followed by transition to a slip.

The crab method is generally better for transport category jets like the Airbus, because firstly the sideslip characteristics are not always great and secondly the underslung engines mean that if you touch down with more than a small amount of bank on you run the risk of a pod or wingtip strike. 

The Airbus is easy peasy in a crosswind. Fly in down just exactly as you would normally - point the nose slightly in to the wind (crab method) and keep your feet off the rudder! The wind will vary in both direction and strength as you descend (generally it will be less strong the lower you get) so you will need to make constant small corrections to the drift as you come down the glide path.

Maintain the crab all the way to the flare, and as you flare squeeze (don't 'kick') the rudder with smooth, progressive pressure to align the nose with the runway centreline. As you do so, a slight 'squirt' of sidestick in the opposite direction (ie in to the wind) will lower the upwind wing slightly, keep you tracking down the centreline, and enable you to touch down on the upwind main wheel.

You will need to maintain the rudder input to maintain the centerline during the rollout.

Hope that helps! 

[johnfo 1]

1 hour ago, skelsey said:

Hello,

There are two main methods of landing in a crosswind -- the 'crab' method, where you offset your heading in to the wind with wings level and balance ball in the centre so that you track down the centreline (but the nose will not be pointing along the runway), and the 'wing down' method where you use opposing aileron and rudder inputs to set up a sideslip. This means that the nose of the aeroplane will be aligned with the centreline, but there will be some back angle and the balance ball will not be in the centre. Some might also say there is a third method which is a combination of the two -- crab to some lowish height above the runway followed by transition to a slip.

The crab method is generally better for transport category jets like the Airbus, because firstly the sideslip characteristics are not always great and secondly the underslung engines mean that if you touch down with more than a small amount of bank on you run the risk of a pod or wingtip strike. 

The Airbus is easy peasy in a crosswind. Fly in down just exactly as you would normally - point the nose slightly in to the wind (crab method) and keep your feet off the rudder! The wind will vary in both direction and strength as you descend (generally it will be less strong the lower you get) so you will need to make constant small corrections to the drift as you come down the glide path.

Maintain the crab all the way to the flare, and as you flare squeeze (don't 'kick') the rudder with smooth, progressive pressure to align the nose with the runway centreline. As you do so, a slight 'squirt' of sidestick in the opposite direction (ie in to the wind) will lower the upwind wing slightly, keep you tracking down the centreline, and enable you to touch down on the upwind main wheel.

You will need to maintain the rudder input to maintain the centerline during the rollout.

Hope that helps! 

Thank you for an extremely informative reply! 

I will give what you have said a good try. I often find though that when I try to point the nose into the wind the aircraft drifts off further into that direction . I assume from what you have said is that I am putting in too much left or right aileron. 

[skelsey 765]

15 minutes ago, johnfo said:

I assume from what you have said is that I am putting in too much left or right aileron. 

You shouldn't be holding aileron in (unless you are sideslipping the aeroplane) - you're just changing heading slightly with a (very) small turn, just like any other turn. Assuming you are already essentially coming down the extended centreline, you are really only making very small corrections, changing heading by no more than a degree or two at a time and certainly no more than about 5 degrees of bank angle at the very most.

At typical jet final approach speeds the drift angle required will generally be quite small; only a few degrees unless the crosswind is very large. Even with a 20kt crosswind you are only looking at about 8 degrees of drift at 140kt. As I say, the wind will generally slacken as you descend, so the drift correction required will usually reduce the lower you get.

[johnfo 1]

OK, I see what you are saying. I will be sure to give that a go. Thanks again for the advice; just what I needed. 

[kiwiflyer45 123]

On ‎5‎/‎6‎/‎2017 at 1:05 PM, johnfo said:

OK, I see what you are saying. I will be sure to give that a go. Thanks again for the advice; just what I needed. 

Skelsy's advice is excellent. I would just add one little thing... If you are using a twin throttle setup, you can also use a little asymmetric thrust - use a little power on the upwind side to help you align with the centerline along with using the rudder. Given that you're flying the A320, then when you hear the "retard" command, ease the downwind thrust lever back while leaving the upwind lever slightly forward until you get both main wheels on the ground - then of course you need to bring them both back to go to reverse thrust... (I'm assuming you are using rudder pedals and not keyboard???)

[johnfo 1]

Yes I am, and thanks I will also factor that into my landings.

They are much better now. 

[kiwiflyer45 123]

Glad to hear it John. The combination of some good advice and lots of practice pays off! Just like the real world!