Hi Gary,
I think the problem is with your visualization as to what should be
happening.
Landing in a crab in a significant crosswind means that flying a course
that matches the runway heading results in an airframe and visual angle
into the wind proportional to the strength of the wind and its angle
with reference to the runway.
The mass associated with the airframe, therefore, is already aligned
"at speed" to continue tracking the runway heading (if your flown track
does, indeed, match that of the runway heading).
When the main gear touches the runway (let's presume left and right
simultaneously), the speed and weight act so as to pivot the plane on
the main gear such that the airframe and visual angle from the cockpit
change from that of the crab against the wind (while in the air) to
that of the runway once on it.
This transition is entirely automatic. It will occur whether the nose
wheel is on the ground or not (unless one is holding the yoke in a
death grip so as to prevent the plane from doing what it needs to do).
Like Ed, I always suggest that no more than two fingers on the yoke
during this phase of flight should preclude such problems...indeed a
light touch is all that is required except perhaps in severe turbulence
(which is only rarely encountered).
Hope this helps.
William R. Bayne
.____|-(o)-|____.
(Copyright 2009)
--
On Jul 1, 2009, at 21:22, G. Davis wrote:
IT is my understanding, when we land in a crab the plane 'straightens
up" with the forward momentum of the plane. I have found , mine seems
to continue its angled path until I can get the nose gear down and
steer it back to center. Am I doing something wrong, or do I need to
fix something in the plane. Thanks for reading.
Gary
