Flight Simulator Guide / Guides / Crosswind Landing
In Flight Simulator, the default fair weather offers a quite easy environment to fly in. In the real world, the weather conditions may be not that good. If you land on an airport with only one runway or two runways in the same direction, you may encounter crosswind conditions.
If the wind is not aligned directly with the runway, the wind will push the aircraft off center. Depending on the direction and the strength of the wind, it will be a challenge to make a good landing with those conditions.
We've created a small crosswind tutorial to help you practise a landing in crosswind conditions. In general, there are 2 methods to deal with crosswind.
1. Crab Method
Approach with the wings level in sideways motion (with the nose pointed into the wind direction) to compensate for the wind while you keep the aircraft aligned with the runway. Continue doing this until you touchdown, then use the rudder to align the aircraft with the centerline. In extreme crosswind, use the rudder a few seconds before touchdown to align the nose with the runway heading. Landing in extreme sideways motion can cause serious damage to the landing gear and airframe. It is ok to touchdown with one side of the main gear first - it�s a logical result of the aileron and rudder input. Keep using the rudder to stay centered and in extreme crosswind, keep aileron into the wind (so move the stick a bit into the wind direction) until the aircraft slows down to avoid lifting up of the wing that is into the wind. The crab method is normally used to land jets.
2. Wing down / Side slip Method
On approach, use the ailerons to lower a wing and bank a bit into the wind direction. Use opposite rudder as necessary to prevent the aircraft from turning in that direction. Continue to adjust aileron and rudder inputs and then move the rudder back in neutral position at touchdown (aircraft with nose wheel steering will suddenly turn when the nose wheel comes in contact with the runway - after that, you can continue to use the rudder to keep the aircraft aligned with the runway heading). Maintain the aileron into the wind until the aircraft slows down to avoid lifting up of the wing that�s into the wind.
Another way to deal with crosswind is to use a combination of both methods. Start the approach by using the crab method, change to the wing down method when you are close to the runway.
Flaps
If you land with crosswind conditions use minimal flap setting (depending on aircraft type and runway/field length) because they are providing more lift than drag. After touchdown, extended flaps will allow the wind to have a greater ability to push the aircraft sideways - retract the flaps as soon as possible. With jets, it's best to keep the recommended flap settings, otherwise the landing speed will be too high.
Realism in FS
In Flight Simulator, the views are not that realistic, because most of us have only one display. With extreme crosswind conditions, you're flying sideways (crab method). In a real aircraft, you are be able to move your head to change the direction of your sight. That is not possible in FS, unless you're using Track IR. So that makes it a bit harder than real life. In order to make a successful landing, you need a joystick with rudder input or rudder pedals. It is almost impossible to land with crosswind conditions by using the keyboard. Make sure auto rudder is off in the realism settings of FS.
Damage to the main gear caused by extreme sideways motion on touchdown is not simulated in FS. Only the speed of touchdown (or even impact) can cause damage. Make sure that you use a aircraft model with correct rudder effect. Payware aircraft like the CLS A300/A310 and a few Project OpenSky aircraft like their 767 do not have rudder effect at all, so it is impossible to land in crosswind conditions with those models.
Practise
The best way to practise crosswind landings is to start on an airport with a long runway without any obstacles and set the wind to slight crosswind. Make sure you already very well manage to land the aircraft you like to fly.
To make it even more interesting, you can set your weather to crosswind with gusting wind and turbulence. For example, the default weather theme "Major thunderstorm" will do fine. Just set the wind direction off center to the left or right.
It may also help to watch video's of real aircraft landing in crosswind conditions:
Click here for a video of the Airbus A380 crosswind tests at Keflavik on November 10, 2006
This video shows the Airbus A380 being tested in extreme wind conditions at Keflavik Airport in Iceland. While a minimum of 23 knots crosswind must be demonstrated at take off and landing for its type certification, the A380 carried out a series of six landings and five take-offs with crosswinds above 40 knots, gusting up to 56 knots, which is considerably higher than the value required for type certification. |
The crab method requires good timing. If you turn the aircraft too soon, the wind may drift you off from the runway, if you turn too late, the main gear may be damaged because you're landing in (too much) sideways motion.
The tires and landing gear of a commercial jet can withstand a touchdown in sideways motion depending on the aircraft, touchdown speed, weight and how extreme the sideways motion is. But it's best to avoid a touchdown like that, if possible.
Crosswind video
Ok, it's nice to know how to land an aircraft in crosswind conditions, but wouldn't it be nice to actually see how it's done in FS? Well, we've created a video (FS2004 recording) of 14 different aircraft types landing in extreme crosswind conditions. The airport featured is Keflavik in Iceland (BIKF). This airport is the largest airport in Iceland, the homebase of Iceland Air. The runway configuration (the runways are running in four directions), combined with Iceland's notoriously severe weather offers a test environment that is unique. Many aircraft manufacturers test their aircraft in crosswind conditions at this airport (the Boeing 777 has been tested here and recently, the Airbus A380).
The airlines featured in the video are not actually flying to Keflavik (except Air Atlanta Icelandic), however 'strange' airlines occasionally make fuel stops or emergency landings at Keflavik. All landings are recorded on runway 11, wind 023 at 36 kts, gusting to 41 kts, moderate turbulence and the wind shear strength set to steep. All aircraft are landed by using the crab method. The aircraft types featured in the video are:
Boeing 707-320B, 727-200, 737-800, 747-400, 747-400F, 757-200, 767-300ER, 777-200ER.
Airbus A320-200, A321-200, A330-300, A340-500.
McDonnell Douglas DC10-40, MD-11.
Please choose one of the 2 variations. This video is 10:06 min. long and high quality, so the files are large.
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