Normal & Crosswind Landing  

OBJECTIVE: To develop the pilot’s skill and knowledge with normal and crosswind approach and landings.
ELEMENTS

  • How to determine landing performance and limitations 
  • Configuration, power, and trim 
  • Obstructions and other hazards which should be considered 
  • A stabilized approach at the recommended airspeed to the selected touchdown area 
  • Course of action if selected touchdown area is going to be missed 
  • Coordination of flight controls 
  • A precise ground track 
  • Wind shear and wake turbulence avoidance procedures 
  • Most suitable crosswind procedure 
  • Timing, judgment, and control procedure during roundout and touchdown 
  • Directional control after touchdown 
  • Use of brakes 
  • Use of checklist 


COMPLETION STANDARDS

  • Exhibits knowledge of the elements related to a normal and crosswind approach and landing 
  • Adequately surveys the intended landing area 
  • Considers the wind conditions, landing surface, obstructions, and selects a suitable touchdown point 
  • Establishes the recommended approach and landing configuration and airspeed, and adjusts pitch attitude and power as required 
  • Maintains a stabilized approach and recommended airspeed, or in its absence, not more than 1.3 VSO, +10/-5 knots, with wind gust factor applied 
  • Makes smooth, timely, and correct control application during the roundout and touchdown 
  • Touches down smoothly at approximate stalling speed 
  • Touches down at or within 400 feet beyond a specified point, with no drift, and with the airplane’s longitudinal axis aligned with and over the runway center/landing path 
  • Maintains crosswind correction and directional control throughout the approach and landing sequence 
  • Completes the appropriate checklist 
COMMON ERRORS

  • Improper use of landing performance data and limitations 
  • Failure to establish stabilized approach and landing configuration at appropriate time or in proper sequence 
  • Failure to establish and maintain a stabilized approach 
  • Inappropriate removal of hand from throttle 
  • Improper flight control procedure during roundout and touchdown 
  • Poor directional control after touchdown 
  • Improper use of brakes. 

THINGS TO REMEMBER
  • Hand on throttle unless trimming. 
  • Walk field first, determine abort point and go-around or "roll off end" decision point 
  • Density Altitude Makes All Fields Short 
  • Wake turbulence, windshear, collision avoidance. 
  • LAHSO, runway incursion avoidance. 
  • Treat all landings as crosswind landings. If there is no crosswind, then, after the landing and rollout one can call it a ‘normal’ landing. 
  • Where are the pitch, roll, yaw, and height cues for landing? 
  • Leave some power on for initial landing training, slows down round-out, float, and flare process for beginners 
  • ‘Scaring the runway’ tactic to practice only round-outs, floats, or flares 
  • TRIM! 
  • Part-task training for crosswind correction training - instructor controls rudders or ailerons and power, student controls what instructor doesn’t 
  • Watch for pilot-induced oscillation tendencies, especially in high-wing to low-wing transitions, land on mains first, even if drops in from 6 inches. 
  • Safe zone is approximately 1-3 feet where stalling won’t damage aircraft. 
  • No reason to make first turn during initial training -- causes flat spots on tires - let it roll 
  • Stick full aft ‘til clear of runway = no wheelbarrowing or ground loops. 
  • Keep distractions at a minimum ‘til clear of runway - no checklists or head down until clear. 
  • REAL pilots use procedures that work every time, all the time, not just when ‘things go right’. 
  • Clear of Runway: An aircraft is not clear of the runway until all parts of the aircraft, including tail feathers, are on the other side of the hold short bars, even if that means protruding onto a taxiway. Once clear, stop and complete the after landing checklist, but not until then. While the controllers might use the aircraft crossing the white runway edge lines to launch the aircraft behind you, that is based on your continuing and crossing the hold short bars. 

STUDY

  • “Airplane Flying Handbook” Ch. 7 & 8 
  • POH/AFM 
  • FAA Pamphlets FAA-P-8740-48, -49, -50 “On Landings Part I, II, & III”