My logbook shows that I have managed to get various airplanes back onto the ground in one piece 2,212 times. Nonetheless, despite about 1350 hours with 750+ hours in Cherokees, over the last couple of years it seemed that I couldn't make satisfactory crosswind landings, especially in significant winds. The problem was not touching down with the upwind wheel and correct alignment, but rather an ensuing swerve downwind of the centerline. My 1974 PA28 Warrior appears to have a direct linkage to the nosewheel/rudder, the handling of which was the issue. Nonetheless, I had not had the problem for many hundreds of hours of Cherokee landings without ever noticing the matter.
So I embarked on a process of self analysis, similar to what I had done as a golfer to correct a pesky hook that reared its ugly and unwelcome head. I knew the fundamentals of crosswind landings, using the rudder to align the airplane with the runway and the aileron to dip the upwind wing into the wind. What I struggled with was apparently how to neutralize the controls upon touchdown to get the nosewheel back to doing its job tracking the centerline as my airplane became a ground vehicle. Success in this task, which appeared to require an instant response, was elusive however. I was frustrated.
The light began to dawn one day while watching a YouTube video of a pilot flying a light turboprop twin and dealing with direct crosswind, probably 15 knots. He commented in advance on the challenge so I was watching closely to see his technique and was surprised to see that his control yoke deflection was not very great. I commented on my observation to my CFII the next time we flew and he said to only use as much aileron as is necessary to align the airplane with the centerline for touchdown. Thinking I might be on to something, I picked a good crosswind day, which happened to be night, and resolved that I would make the rudder my primary control and the aileron secondary. In central Ohio, gusty crosswinds are a fact of life, particularly in the spring and fall. And where there are crosswinds at the surface, the velocity is likely to be greater at altitude turning final so it makes sense to just input the required crab as needed to maintain centerline and not remove it until very short final; a Cherokee, unlike a Cessna, has much better crosswind behavior close to the ground where surface friction diminishes wind velocity. So rather than cranking in strong aileron at the same time as pushing the downwind rudder to align with centerline I committed the rudder first and then used aileron in a supporting role. Several touch and goes later I began to feel that I had a recipe for success. My error appeared to be that I was cranking in too much aileron which then required too much rudder--and resulting severe nosewheel deflection--which created a tendency for the nosewheel to head for the downwind side of the runway upon touchdown.
Obviously, there is no magic in what I describe. Dealing with a crosswind requires an interplay between the rudder and aileron. The moral to my story is that I had been managing that interface intuitively--and in a hamfisted manner-- rather than being sensitive to what needed to happen in the gentle dance between the two controls. Several months have passed and it seems that my technique revision is successful. Now, I issue myself a reminder as I approach the threshold that my feet will be the primary control to maintain alignment with the centerline and the aileron the supporting control. Of course, this is not a mechanical solution as the drama of approaching touchdown, particularly in gusty conditions, is always a unique event involving input of both rudder and aileron. My point is that I now believe that the rudder is primary control and I keep that fact in the forefront of my thoughts as I prepare for the coming dance between the pedals and the yoke.
At this point, its likely that a good number of readers are saying this guy is just describing the "kick out the crab" crosswind landing technique. That certainly is true on gross level. But what I feel I am describing is a conscious sensitivity of managing the input of aileron and rudder as two separate controls whose roles must be individually appreciated and applied.
There are a couple of supporting techniques to mention also. First, I try to keep equal pressure on both rudder pedals and don't just push on the downwind side. This enhances my sensitively to what my feet are doing. Second, the after touchdown check list can't be forgotten: Full aileron deflection once wheels are rolling, get the flaps up, and use rudder to follow the centerline with the nosewheel. Any flaps will diminish the effectiveness of the wheels in controlling the airplane on the ground.
I hope sharing this bit of self examination is helpful. Its possible, even with a lot of hours, to do things automatically rather than truly thinking about what you are doing.
So I embarked on a process of self analysis, similar to what I had done as a golfer to correct a pesky hook that reared its ugly and unwelcome head. I knew the fundamentals of crosswind landings, using the rudder to align the airplane with the runway and the aileron to dip the upwind wing into the wind. What I struggled with was apparently how to neutralize the controls upon touchdown to get the nosewheel back to doing its job tracking the centerline as my airplane became a ground vehicle. Success in this task, which appeared to require an instant response, was elusive however. I was frustrated.
The light began to dawn one day while watching a YouTube video of a pilot flying a light turboprop twin and dealing with direct crosswind, probably 15 knots. He commented in advance on the challenge so I was watching closely to see his technique and was surprised to see that his control yoke deflection was not very great. I commented on my observation to my CFII the next time we flew and he said to only use as much aileron as is necessary to align the airplane with the centerline for touchdown. Thinking I might be on to something, I picked a good crosswind day, which happened to be night, and resolved that I would make the rudder my primary control and the aileron secondary. In central Ohio, gusty crosswinds are a fact of life, particularly in the spring and fall. And where there are crosswinds at the surface, the velocity is likely to be greater at altitude turning final so it makes sense to just input the required crab as needed to maintain centerline and not remove it until very short final; a Cherokee, unlike a Cessna, has much better crosswind behavior close to the ground where surface friction diminishes wind velocity. So rather than cranking in strong aileron at the same time as pushing the downwind rudder to align with centerline I committed the rudder first and then used aileron in a supporting role. Several touch and goes later I began to feel that I had a recipe for success. My error appeared to be that I was cranking in too much aileron which then required too much rudder--and resulting severe nosewheel deflection--which created a tendency for the nosewheel to head for the downwind side of the runway upon touchdown.
Obviously, there is no magic in what I describe. Dealing with a crosswind requires an interplay between the rudder and aileron. The moral to my story is that I had been managing that interface intuitively--and in a hamfisted manner-- rather than being sensitive to what needed to happen in the gentle dance between the two controls. Several months have passed and it seems that my technique revision is successful. Now, I issue myself a reminder as I approach the threshold that my feet will be the primary control to maintain alignment with the centerline and the aileron the supporting control. Of course, this is not a mechanical solution as the drama of approaching touchdown, particularly in gusty conditions, is always a unique event involving input of both rudder and aileron. My point is that I now believe that the rudder is primary control and I keep that fact in the forefront of my thoughts as I prepare for the coming dance between the pedals and the yoke.
At this point, its likely that a good number of readers are saying this guy is just describing the "kick out the crab" crosswind landing technique. That certainly is true on gross level. But what I feel I am describing is a conscious sensitivity of managing the input of aileron and rudder as two separate controls whose roles must be individually appreciated and applied.
There are a couple of supporting techniques to mention also. First, I try to keep equal pressure on both rudder pedals and don't just push on the downwind side. This enhances my sensitively to what my feet are doing. Second, the after touchdown check list can't be forgotten: Full aileron deflection once wheels are rolling, get the flaps up, and use rudder to follow the centerline with the nosewheel. Any flaps will diminish the effectiveness of the wheels in controlling the airplane on the ground.
I hope sharing this bit of self examination is helpful. Its possible, even with a lot of hours, to do things automatically rather than truly thinking about what you are doing.
