Need a 10 knot crosswind to practice..

[Old Geek]

I took a friend flying a couple of days ago. AWOS was saying a 3 knot crosswind. I tracked the centerline dead-nuts until the flair then drifted about 5 feet laterally as I touched down. No harm, nice soft touchdown, but I felt rusty for not nailing it.

Anyone else been there, done that? Next time there's some crosswind I'll be practicing.

 

[jcepiano]

I had a scary moment during a solo flight where I executed a touch and go, and as I put up the flaps and rotated back into the air, the wind just pushed me over almost into the grass to the side of the runway. Scary stuff. I never ever forgot to keep my wind correction in on the go after that.

 

[yakdriver]

The biggest problem I see with most pilots is they relax the crosswind control as they flare. Another is adding airspeed on final. There is no reason to fly faster than 1.3VSO plus 1/2 the gust factor. Also as you flare you will have to add more and more aileron correction and ideally touch down on the upwind main. As you touch down you will roll in full aileron into the wind and hold it there as you slow down and taxi in. On take off start with full aileron deflection into the wind and as you accelerate and roll up on the upwind main you will adjust aileron to hold the wing where you want it until lift off. Remember, ailerons control the drift and rudder keeps you aligned with the runway. Don

 

[MBDiagMan]

I took a friend flying a couple of days ago. AWOS was saying a 3 knot crosswind. I tracked the centerline dead-nuts until the flair then drifted about 5 feet laterally as I touched down. No harm, nice soft touchdown, but I felt rusty for not nailing it.

Anyone else been there, done that? Next time there's some crosswind I'll be practicing.

Nose wheel or tail wheel?

 

[yakdriver]

Doc, Technique is the same for both. I'm a three point in a crosswind guy. Haven't ground looped one yet in 2000+ hrs T/W. Don

 

[Stewartb]

I took a friend flying a couple of days ago. AWOS was saying a 3 knot crosswind. I tracked the centerline dead-nuts until the flair then drifted about 5 feet laterally as I touched down. No harm, nice soft touchdown, but I felt rusty for not nailing it.

Anyone else been there, done that? Next time there's some crosswind I'll be practicing.

About 15 years ago I was flying into Lake Hood strip in my 180 with a friend who had needed to get to town. The ATIS called the winds at 23kts straight across the strip. My friend and I were chatting and laughing and I got a little complacent. Approach was fine but in ground effect I started drifting until my mains were mowing down runway lights and I was moving toward the swamp adjacent to the strip. A go-around saved the moment and the next attempt was very simple. Complacency will negate competence every time if you let it. I learned my lesson.

FTR, I use full flaps and wheel landings in my 180 regardless of the wind direction or velocity.

 

[nosehair]

I tracked the centerline dead-nuts until the flair then drifted about 5 feet laterally as I touched down.

Many things change during the flare; continuous increasing AoA requires continuous increasing of changing yaw, lift/drag, cg, etc.
When you do this down final, as in bumpy crosswinds, you continue thru the flare.
But when the wind is light/calm, and on final, you "have it nailed", is when you are likely to be surprised by the sudden drift during flare.

Next time there's some crosswind I'll be practicing.

No need to wait for crosswind. Practice side drifting during the flare. Same control manipulation as a crosswind.
On final, line up right of centerline, then during flare, left aileron to pull the airplane over centerline while pushing enough right rudder to keep the nose aligned with center while controlling lateral drift.