Mastering the Crosswind Landing | Side Slips and Crab | How to Land an Airplane

The most difficult task in learning to fly is mastering the crosswind landing. Managing the aileron, rudder, elevator, and power all while dealing with gusty and bumpy conditions is a real challenge. Let's break down the basics!

[chapmanflying]

Excellent video, great channel. Keep it up.

[TheMorayMosstrooper]

I found useful to remember "Wings for the Wind, Rudder for the Runway".

[izinx]

Really the best video I have seen on crosswind landings, thanks from a just licensed ppl !

[Tom-muzy]

In the opening and closing scene, the pilot is slipping the wrong direction. This occurs when the pilot starts by useing the yoke to turn towards the runway (a natural tendency for anyone who has driven a car) and is then forced to use the opposite foot to keep from drifting off center line. The fix is, like jumpinng into muddy water, FEET FIRST. Start with rudders to straighten up the airplane direction and apply opposite ailerons as required to first keep the upwind wing from rising and then even more aileron to drop the upwind wing to control drift.
When I taught X-wind landings, I split the controls. As one pilot straightens out the nose with rudder, the other pilot applies the opposite airleron. Let the student pilot concentrate on the rudder first because it is the less natural control input. The instructor manipulates the ailerons for drift and elevator and throttle. As the airplane touches down the instructor will maintain a shallow bank into the wind for touchdown and as long as possible into the roll out, adding more aileron into the wind as both mains touch ground. The landing roll out ends with full aileron into the wind. On the next landing, revers the rolls. Let the student run the ailerons, elevator and throttle while the instructor runs the rudder. Once the student has mastered each drill then let the student do both. 5K hr CFI & 25K hr ATP

[imanairman]

this video is excellent. i’m doing flight training at an airport where there is literally always a crosswind so this video was a lifesaver, now i have them down! thanks

[bradmiller]

You make me Smile, & I Miss Flying! Thanks! ....

[BonniesMoToRanch]

I'm reading through my PPL theory when coming across Crab and Slip angle and not fully geting what was being written. I watched this video and feel like I fully grasped the concept in just a few minutes! Very calm and professional explaination, thank you very much!

[OmarKnowCars]

My CFI also suggested landing with one 1 notch of flaps (touchdown at higher speed for better control) when runway length permits.

[jimmydulin]

This is the best video I have seen on crosswind landings. Just a couple tweeks, if an old Ag instructor may. First the nose we think of, under the prop, is not an accurate way to maintain longitudinal alignment. Keep the centerline and centerline extended between our legs. How can it be both between student and instructor's legs. It's optical. We are looking well down the runway. As you pointed out so well, we keep the centerline and centerline extended between our legs (side slip method) or aligned with out butt (crab method) with slight rudder movement. Dynamic proactive rudder movement to bracket the centerline (or taxi line) is a tailwheel method (walk the rudders) that works equally well with nose gear airplanes. Coordinated turns to keep the centerline between our legs certainly doesn't work on the ground. Nor does it work well on short final. Adverse yaw is a bit complicated with all this other stuff going on. Even with the crab, dynamic proactive rudder (walk the rudders) will bracket the centerline extended under our butt. With the side slip it is absolutely necessary to use rudder only. Even in a no crosswind situation, walking the rudders a bit to tightly bracket the centerline extended will automatically keep the wings level. Rudder yaw is how the B-17 bombardier, with the rudder trim control only, aligned the crosshairs of the Norden bomb sight with the target. Again, an excellent lesson on crosswind landing techniques.

[bobc]

Bravo - Bravo!

This is how I learned 50 years ago. The sideslip is a piece of cake once you master this technique, and you will never sweat a crosswind landing again.

I am type rated in Boeing and Airbus aircraft and it works on them too. If you watxh youtube videos of crosswind landings, look at where the rudder is pointed.

Obviously they never learned this technique and almost wipe out the gear and tires in a crab landing!

[eddthirty]

Thanks, did my first wind landing last week - I think I'm using the combination of both techniques.
I've never had to use the rudder pedal so much!

[SafetyCarrot]

This is excellent. I always though crosswind landings were easy until you mentioned the side stress on the landing gear! Two or three of my sim landings and I'll be in for a costly surprise!

[Tharkunify]

The final transition from crab to aligning with the certerline can be tricky... I had a close call during training due to not enough opposite aileron during the application of rudder to exit the crab. Thankfully the CFI was right there with hands on the controls.

[hoss]

I learned much, the pronunciation on the word BUTT encouraged my listening and learning, many thanks Ima eat me some crab for dinner

[wild_cumulus_cloud]

I'm having great timings with your uploads. My landing lessons are coming up and just reading about it. And notification pops up. 🌟

[stephenabbott]

The slip is the greatest cheat code for the GA pilot. Proficiency in side slipping turns crosswinds into a non issue (up to a point). With the additional drag, I usually add a touch of power to keep a stabilized approach.

[m.amin.alizadeh]

Excellent video
Excellent points
Excellent animation

[John-hrbj]

Useful, practical and excellent info. Graphics superb! Thanks, too, yoke and rudders in upper screen. Side slip I believe will cause one to lose altitude faster than crab method. AS you say, either method is tricking and adjustments made subtly and quickly over the runway. Practice, Practice. But every landing in crosswind is a different adventure!

[hasteovertrample]

My second day of practicing patterns, there was a 12 kt direct crosswind. Trial by fire lol I wish I watched this video prior to that lesson.

[mattc]

I needed this. Excellent instruction. Thanks!