Cross wind landings

[mhorowit]

First off, I know how to land in a cross-wind with a nose-wheel.

Last weekend was one of those"gee, I wanna fly, but the weather...". Anyway, I did my preflight and decided to taxi around a bit. Although the wind didn't appear to be too strong, I don't have any personal minimums yet.

As I taxied, I kept finding myself weathervaning into the wind. At that point I decided that if I couldn't taxi without weathervaning, then I had no business being in the air, attempting landings.

Is there any trick to avoiding the tendency to weathervane other than keeping the yoke back and tailwheel planted and destroying lift on the up-wind wing? - Mike

[Frank DeBartolo]

X Wind operations

The only time to keep the stick sucked back when taxiing in a strong wind is when the wind is to your front or directly to the side. If the wind is behind the airplane the stick should be forward because if the stick is back when the wind is behind the airplane, the wind can catch the up elevator and raise the tail. If you have a quartering tail wind, the windward aileron should be down to assure that the wind does not raise the wing. If however, you have a quartering head wind while taxiing, windward aileron should be up--or stick toward the wind and stick back--this keeps the windward wing down and the tail down. You should taxi slowly--the stronger the wind, the slower taxi speed to assure safety. The weathervaining tendancy will occur in a cross wind and is corrected by using rudder and brakes as well as correct control inputs.

To take off, full aileron into the wind and stick back initally till the airplane starts to accelerate then a lessening of control inputs as the airplane accelerates and use enough control inputs to keep the airplane level and forward enough on the stick to allow the tail to rise. After the tail rises keep enough upwind aileron to keep the wings level and keep the airplane on the ground untill good positive lift off is assured. Then rotate. Trying to rotate too soon could cause wind drift in a cross wind. Also remember to crab into the wind on climb out.

Landing is the trickier thing to do. Best advise is get a good tail wheel instructor to instruct you in these operations.

The way I land in a cross wind is that I crab in on final approach to hold the final approach course and on short final, I use enough down wind rudder to straighten the airplane in line with flight and simultaneously input upwind aileron. This keeps the airplane straight with the line of flight and keeps the airplane from drifting. These inputs are to be maintained but control forces can be variable due to gusts and is a matter of "feeling your way in" and the aileron should definitely be held toward the wind throughout. After touchdown the stick should be full back (in a stall landing) and immediately after landing, the aileron input should be positive and fully into the wind--and stick kept sucked back to keep the tail down. Important to note that on final through flare the aileron input is whatever is needed to maintain wings level to a slightly wing low attitude just before touchdown and after touchdown full aileron is applied toward the wind and stick back. Again, the best way to keep from bending the airplane is to get a good tailwheel insturctor.

Frank DeBartolo
N43684

[yerich109]

Check your tailwheel steering linkage as well. If it isn't working properly, or you have a full swivel tailwheel with no locking mechanism, it will be hard to keep her straight while taxiing.

My Scott 3200 had problems for a while, and wouldn't positively steer in either direction. It alway was free castering. I got it fixed at the last annual, and boy oh boy what a difference it made. Drives like a trike now. I used to have to steer by either blowing air over the tail or with differential braking. It was very difficult to accurately taxi in windy conditions. Same problem that you describe...


Blue Skies,

[Rich. Anderson]

I replaced my full swival tail wheel with a steerable and find I like it much better. Requires lifting the tail when parking and to pull the airplane backwards. But much easier to steer in crosswinds.