----[Please read http://ercoupers.com/disclaimer.htm before following any advice in this forum.]----
Hi Pete,
I couldn't agree with you more! Your final decision is right on.
Land on the 'upwind' side of the runway. Angle in as required according
to the direction and velocity of wind.
I don't like to land on blacktop, even in the most ideal conditions.
Sure, it's nice to say (and hear) I "squeaked" it onto the runway. But,
did you ever stop to think what that "squeak" is? That's the same as the
sound you'll hear if you have a panic stop in a car that doesn't have the
new 'non locking' brakes. What you're doing is 'grinding' a flat spot on
your tires.
In order of (my) choice, Grass is the best and most forgiving to land
on, then gravel (if you don't mind the rock damage to the bottom of your
plane) and then last choice is to land on hard surface, either blacktop or
concrete.
If you can find a grass strip up there near your area that is
'maintained' give it a try a couple of times in low wind or straight down
the runway wind so as to be familiar with the area and the different
feeling of landing on grass. Then, when you get a little crosswind at
that field try it with your below mentioned experience.
Landing on grass in a crosswind is a real blast! When you're coming
in 'crabbed' to the proper angle (for example, 45 degrees from the left at
about 20mph crosswind to start with) you can point your nose into the
wind, keeping your sideways decent going the direction of the runway. You
can use the (in this case) left side of the grass as a 'point of
touchdown' reference. (Decrease throttle as required for your own plane
under these conditions.)
When your main gear touches down (your nose must be a little high of
course) you won't feel that sudden 'jerk' of the plane as it tries to
'right' itself to go straight down the runway (or off to the side of the
runway as you said below).
The tires will 'slip' on the grass for a little ways as the plane
strarts it's gradual correction to go straight down the runway as the
'mass weight' direction that you were actually going prior to 'touchdown'
forces it to do. This creates less side pressure on the MLG which is of
course easier on the plane.
This is the time to lower your nose wheel and 'drive' your coupe down
the runway as you slow down enough to turn off of the runway.
It's sort of hard to explain in words but read through this again and
picture it in your mind at the point of touchdown. The secret is the
'slipping effect' at the point of touchdown, especially if it's damp.
("Try it, you'll like it") ;-)
I hate landing on blacktop, especially in a very strong crosswind, as
I can just 'hear' the damage I'm doing to my tires at the time of
touchdown. My wheels are not turning and they must instantly get 'up to
speed' that the plane is going. As I said above, drive a car (pre ABS)
and slam your brakes on at 65 or 70mph and just listen to your tires.
Okay, I'm sure I'll get some criticism on this post but it's my
opinion and I guess I'm stuck with it. I fly off of a grass strip so
maybe I'm a bit prejudice (or just lucky) but I still hate to land my
coupe on hardtop any more often than neccessary.
BTW, there are three hard surfaced and three grass strips in my area.
All three hard surfaced airports have space available and all three grass
strips have a long waiting list. Does this an indication as to which is
'most desirable' for small planes?
Bob Savillle
N3396H 415C
Eugene, OR
Pete Thomson wrote:
----[Please read http://ercoupers.com/disclaimer.htm before following any
advice in this forum.]----
Ok Ok, somehow my request for info on the vertical card compass got
transposed with the crosswind landing issue. Thanks for the info on the
vertical card compass, I now have the info I was looking for. I patiently
waded through the replies regarding the crosswind landing issue so I could
learn from those who have been there, done that. This past Fall I had the
opportunity to work some crosswind landings on blacktop at winds gusting
from 25 to 35, predominately 25, at 90 degrees to the runway. I would
rather have practiced on gravel because it is so forgiving, but the runway
I normally use is blacktop so I did not. I did the landings by the book
and darn near damaged the plane, the Coupe does not go straight down the
runway after the nosewheel hits the ground, it goes in the direction the
plane is facing, in this case 45 degrees to the centerline. Fortunately
the runway was 150 feet wide so I was able to take over the steering and
just remain on the runway, albeit way over on the side. Had this been a
narrow runway I would have been in the brush. Whilst I agree that a "death
grip" is not advisable under any conditions, I learned that the Coupe does
have to be steered straight before the second main touched the ground. I
spent 2 hours in these conditions with the gusting and the wind shear. At
the end of my test I had learned a couple of things the book did not
address, don't let go of the yoke as advised, and land on the upwind side
of the runway, not the centerline. When I was parked, I put a couple of
sandbags on the tail and checked the nosewheel, it turned just fine,
neither was there a stuck brake.I have no doubt this will generate some
dissent and discussion, but this is what actually hapenned to me, not a
text book discussion. I learned really fast about the steering issue, the
Coupe scared the heck out of me the first time, it went straight alright,
straight towards the side of the runway, I had to manually steer it to
keep it on the blacktop. Regards,Pete
-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Phelps [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Friday, December 27, 2002 6:03 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [COUPERS-FLYIN] crosswind idea's
----[Please read http://ercoupers.com/disclaimer.htm before following any
advice in this forum.]----
I agree the tail at proper height is important, but as we know not all
coupes have it up. So until they get it up, what do they do?? Here is what
we do when the wind is in the upper limits, even with the tail up. We land
letting the plane drift off center line toward downwind side of runway
(using more degress of crosswind) at point of touch down. that way you
have to turn the plane back toward center line after touch down. This will
hold the upward wing down. Do it the oppsite (using less degress of
croswind) You will have to turn more crosswind after touchdown to keep
centerline and the upward wing will really go UP. I find the tendency is
to do it the later and that is why the coupe gets a bad rap on crosswind
landings. We had a ex Navy carrier pilot WWII have trouble landing a coupe
crosswind. He held the crab coming in BUT straightened it up before
touchdown. Scared th XXXX out of him.. Jim Phelps
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