Bellanca crash, crosswind got him, 3 people uninjured, plane was definitely injured.

[FastEddieB]

A good pilot has a big bag full of tricks...An accident waiting to happen is someone who thinks every approach is the same.

Which is why the airlines, who pretty much mandate that, within limits, “every approach is the same”, have such an atrocious safety record.

Oh, wait...

I’m not implying that flexibility and a comprehensive skill set for varying conditions is not a plus. Or that landing a Super Cub on a sandbar is basically the same as landing a 737 at LAX. But standardized procedures in either of those scenarios go a long way to enhance safety. Consistent use of checklists, and doing things “by the book” could save innumerable lives every year. Yes, a “bag full of tricks” is handy when things go to hell - think Capt. Sculley - but I still hold that pilots who consistently strive to standardize their procedures fare far better overall than pilots who “roll their own” and dig into their “bag full of tricks” on a regular basis, and I think the probable causes most often listed in accident reports supports my position.

 

[Salty]

I know it won’t matter to you, Steingar, but I Sincerely think you personally would have a lot less issues if you did the same thing every landing. That is personalized advice based on reading your posts for years. Again, I’m no expert and don’t profess to be, but a Mooney will land just fine at 1.3vso and full flaps in any crosswind or gusts you’re likely to fly in.

not really relevant but I just now landed on 36 with a crazy wind from 090 at 35 in the pattern and metar of 090 at 9G18. Used full flaps and landed like normal. No issues.

 

[Salty]

The wife snapped a pic of the crab angle on short final

 

[PaulS]

Which is why the airlines, who pretty much mandate that, within limits, “every approach is the same”, have such an atrocious safety record.

Oh, wait...

I’m not implying that flexibility and a comprehensive skill set for varying conditions is not a plus. Or that landing a Super Cub on a sandbar is basically the same as landing a 737 at LAX. But standardized procedures in either of those scenarios go a long way to enhance safety. Consistent use of checklists, and doing things “by the book” could save innumerable lives every year. Yes, a “bag full of tricks” is handy when things go to hell - think Capt. Sculley - but I still hold that pilots who consistently strive to standardize their procedures fare far better overall than pilots who “roll their own” and dig into their “bag full of tricks” on a regular basis, and I think the probable causes most often listed in accident reports supports my position.

I try to land the same way every time. Same distance from the runway on the pattern, same power settings, flap settings, stable approach. The only thing that changes is the approach speed over the end of the runway if it's gusts above a 10 knot delta. Note I said try, sometimes things distract. On my last flight I landed at an airport with noise procedures and I let it distract me into flying too close to the runway. Add to that distraction a gusty direct crosswind and it wasn't my best landing, still safe, but I should have gone around. Lesson learned, things like noise procedures won't distract me again and if I feel my approach is not optimal I will go and try again.

I think your example of Sully is a good one Eddie, but I still think once he figured out what he was going to do, he flew a standard approach as far as speeds, flaps and other things in his control once he had the landing made.

 

[steingar]

I know it won’t matter to you, Steingar, but I Sincerely think you personally would have a lot less issues if you did the same thing every landing.

Had I followed your advice I'd have been dead years ago. Thankfully I keep my bag of tricks fully loaded to use them when I need. A good pilot quickly realizes not every landing is the same deal.

 

[MauleSkinner]

Had I followed your advice I'd have been dead years ago. Thankfully I keep my bag of tricks fully loaded to use them when I need. A good pilot quickly realizes not every landing is the same deal.

Good thing none of the rest of us fly in those scary places you do.

 

[X3 Skier]

One thing I like about my no rudder pedal Ercoupe is you just crab whatever it takes to fly down the runway and after touchdown, the trailing link gear straightens you right out. If you try crosswind technique, you’ll be headed off into the boonies PDQ. That said, I enjoy flying slips and crosswinds in three axis control airplanes on occasion to do some real “flying”.

Cheers

 

[Juliet Hotel]

Had I followed your advice I'd have been dead years ago. Thankfully I keep my bag of tricks fully loaded to use them when I need. A good pilot quickly realizes not every landing is the same deal.

I've flown lots of different places in lots of different planes. They all land about the same far as I can tell. Do what's necessary to control your speed and decent rate, keep it aligned and hit your touchdown point. I'm not dead so I guess it worked out for me. Shrug.

 

[FastEddieB]

I've flown lots of different places in lots of different planes. They all land about the same far as I can tell. Do what's necessary to control your speed and decent rate, keep it aligned and hit your touchdown point. I'm not dead so I guess it worked out for me. Shrug.

Good point.

I think it’s important to have a “key position” in mind. Or more than one.

First is abeam the numbers, getting stabilized with power reductions and landing configuration. From that point, most patterns will be pretty much the same, traffic and terrain permitting. We don’t need another debate about straight-in’s, but in my experience most pilots have more trouble with those - standard patterns exist for a reason.

But more critical is a key position on final. Call it roughly 50’, or one wingspan, above the ground. There, you should be in landing configuration with the runway made and the power at or ready to come back to idle. Regardless of what sort of vectoring or maneuvering preceded or was necessary to get to that point, from there most landings should be very, very similar, if not identical. Perfect consistency will be elusive, but should always be the goal.