9 hours ago, ark said:

Just as an aside, I would call this a side slip (body of the a/c aligned with the ground track). 

😄  You are absolutely correct - I flipped my terminology.  Early in my flying experience I practiced some forward-slipping to lose altitude when high for an approach, though with a good set of flaps on most aircraft, I really didn't need the maneuver anymore.

On a side note, the strongest wind I've ever had to deal with when landing (in a 172) was 45 KTs.  Thank God it was straight down the runway or I wouldn't have attempted it.  I will say that it was the most embarrassing landing (3 attempts) of my life.

1 minute ago, Bobsk8 said:

Misleading title, which was posted on another thread. The wind was gusting as high as 33 Knots but when he landed , looked more like it was around 15 knots. Much more than that, the rudder in a 172 wouldn't be able to hold the centerline straight.

indeed, it dosen't look like it was anywhere near 33 knots xwind at flare. the report was of gusting 33...

I landed the 172 and 152 in around 36kts yesterday at ENSF. It was a messy ordeal. Today it's even worse - 47kts. Go check it out

ENSF 061350Z 24047KT

🙂

Edited October 6, 20223 yr by Cpt_Piett

30 minutes ago, Bobsk8 said:

Misleading title, which was posted on another thread. The wind was gusting as high as 33 Knots but when he landed , looked more like it was around 15 knots. Much more than that, the rudder in a 172 wouldn't be able to hold the centerline straight.

How do you measure the speed of the wind?

BTW if you are well trained, I think more than 15 knots is easily done on a C172. 

Edited October 6, 20223 yr by Jeeeno

6 hours ago, Sceadu said:

14 hours ago, Glenn Fitzpatrick said:

Just to be clear.

• In a real aircraft there is NO tendency to weathervane into the wind while you are still airborne

 

 

Sorry that's wrong, the aircraft always weathervanes into wind or airflow which is the same thing.

No, you are wrong. While airborne and flying with wings leveled, the crosswind component is carrying the aircraft with it. The aircraft is moving straight ahead through the surrounding airmass. Whether this airmass is moving over the ground (= wind) or not does not matter.

6 hours ago, Jeeeno said:

How do you measure the speed of the wind?

BTW if you are well trained, I think more than 15 knots is easily done on a C172. 

You are exceeding the demonstrated crosswind component so will be landing with a lateral component that will be stressing the gear. How much stress will depend on the inertia of the airframe in question. Airliners tend to want to keep going in the direction of travel so are less effected (which is why the demonstrated crosswind on an airliner is more like 50 knots not 15 knots) .  You also may have issues with claiming insurance if something goes wrong.

 

1 hour ago, mrueedi said:

No, you are wrong. While airborne and flying with wings leveled, the crosswind component is carrying the aircraft with it. The aircraft is moving straight ahead through the surrounding airmass. Whether this airmass is moving over the ground (= wind) or not does not matter.

Indeed, the confusion seems to be related to the ground track.  There are no aerodynamic forces at work flying in a constantly moving air mass. (Wind shear is a different matter it is no longer constantly moving)

The misunderstanding arises when you try and track a distant point with a crosswind as you will be gradually blown off course relative to the ground and have to continually adjust your heading. Your ground track will end up as a spiral.   This spiral track is not a result of weather vaning,  It is entirely caused by your control movements and your attempt to stay aligned to the distant point.

Of course a more optimal way to do it is to crab with your nose pointed intentionally into the wind. This results in a straight (rather than spiralled) ground track direct to the distant point with wings straight and level and no need to make any adjustments.

Edited October 6, 20223 yr by Glenn Fitzpatrick

19 minutes ago, Glenn Fitzpatrick said:

You are exceeding the demonstrated crosswind component so will be landing with a lateral component that will be stressing the gear. How much stress will depend on the inertia of the airframe in question. Airliners tend to want to keep going in the direction of travel so are less effected (which is why the demonstrated crosswind on an airliner is more like 50 knots not 15 knots) .  You also may have issues with claiming insurance if something goes wrong.

 

 

Yeah Insurance companies tend to get a little testy, if you crumple some part of your aircraft, trying to land  in a crosswind beyond your capabilities. 😉

Edited October 6, 20223 yr by Bobsk8

3 hours ago, Bobsk8 said:

Yeah Insurance companies tend to get a little testy, if you crumple some part of your aircraft, trying to land  in a crosswind beyond your capabilities. 😉

The max demonstrated crosswind definition is a bit wishy washy in terms of pilot skill.  It basically says a landing should be possible by a pilot "without exceptional skill".

That said, if it is NOT an emergency (another runway was available with less crosswind),  and you landed anyway and then came unstuck, demonstrating to your insurance company you had the requisite exceptional skill will be difficult and potentially end up before a court.

Crosswinds can fool even the most skilled of us ...

 

12 hours ago, mrueedi said:

No, you are wrong. While airborne and flying with wings leveled, the crosswind component is carrying the aircraft with it. The aircraft is moving straight ahead through the surrounding airmass. Whether this airmass is moving over the ground (= wind) or not does not matter.

LOL, You must have misunderstood what he said, as you are actually agreeing, which is an aeroplane weathervanes no matter where it is in the sky.

Its what the vertical tail surface is there for

 

1 hour ago, Pathfinder633 said:

an aeroplane weathervanes no matter where it is in the sky

Which is not what he said.

He said the aircraft weathervanes into the wind.

Wind is something which only exists if your reference point is the earth. The aircraft knows nothing about a (steady) wind. 

You guys need to be precise with these terms.

Weather vaning can only occur if there is a fixed pivot point to weather vane around.  Which there is not when airborne.

You do have directional stability around the CoG when airborne - but that has zero to do with crosswinds or weather vaning,