Greg Bullough wrote:
>>>>>
Second one, I found the 15-knot windsock pointing rigidly, I guess
there was a solid 15 at a 90-degree angle. That's what it looked like
from downwind, anyways. So I held 80 MPH down final, thinking to reduce
the effect of the X-wind. That led to a floaty landing.
When I did touch down, I got into the classic conundrum...
I touched down in a crab, as the plane tried to straighten out, the
upwind wing wanted to keep flying. Trying to bring it down with aileron,
of course, led to heading for the upwind edge of the runway. Not too
terrifying on our fairly wide runway, but on a narrow one it definitely
would have sucked.
<<<<<
Thinking more about it, I'd throw out these ideas for consideration:
1. If the cross wind is strong, the conditions are gusty and you have
the runway for it,
a. Go ahead and add 1/2 the gust factor to your approach speed
like it
says in the books.
b. When you get close to the ground, the turbulence will be
dampened by
the ground effect -- you may hold it off (2-6 feet) until you bleed off
speed and it settles down near minimum flying speed.
c. Simply hold the yoke gently centered with a couple of fingers
so
ground contact can freely make the nose wheel turn to line up with
motion. Have just enough grip to pull the yoke back to near full-aft for
touchdown. This'll give you a low-speed, easy yaw so the plane is lined
up with the direction of motion right as you touch down. Once your
wheels are touching the ground, DO NOT turn the yoke to lower a rising
wing since this turns the nose wheel.
d. This bleeding off of speed can be done at 2-4 feet wheel
height. Any
errors in your technique that result in the plane touching will be
handled OK by the Coupe's design.
e. After touch down, press the brakes any amount you want short of
locking them up which would cause excess tire wear.
--
Ed Burkhead
Peoria, Ill.
Ercoupe N3802H, 415-D
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