CFI Debriefs Tough Crosswind Landing

[@s1ipzys661]

Hey just to let you know the past couple years ive been watching your stuff, and ive finally made it to my CFI training, and i would like to let you know you have inspired me to want to teach the exact way you do. You are so consist with your emotions with every student they always know when they go fly lewdix he will be happy and try his hardest to make sure i learn from this lesson. I want to do that with everyone of my students as well. Thanks for being such a great role model and i plane to do as i see.

[@LewDixAviation]

This is really amazing to read. I'm so glad that you've have enjoyed and taken some things from my instruction and want to implement them in your own lessons. That's so cool. I'm here to entertain and inspire so this is brilliant to read. Thanks!

[@s1ipzys661]

@ you deserve it, going back to focusing on this full time has made a bigger impact on so many more people then you could imagine keep doing you man. You will make a great chief flight instructor at a flight school some day

[@AlyssaM_InfoSec]

Really appreciate this video, it validates a few things I see in my own flying. I've got 800 hours and still feel like I'm constantly working to refine my landings, just as you mentioned. Also, I love that you don't state a preference of slip vs crab. I've found that which one I'm more comfortable with can vary with each landing. I don't even know what makes me more comfortable with one versus the other but I use either depending on what feels more natural to me in the moment. So as always thanks for sharing some great perspectives.

[@LewDixAviation]

I think you bring up a good point about flip flopping between techniques. Makes it even more valuable to be comfortable with both. Primary training goes a long way for pilots so learning it all during PPL training is so crucial.

[@Coops777]

Hi Lew. Great video and I loved your landing. Our flight school uses cubs and teaches (ie my CFI) rudder for longitudunal alignment and ailerons for left/right runway position. For gusting crosswinds, we teach: At approx 100ft from threshold, uncrab and over correct slightly with rudder (now the nose is pointing slightly past the centre opposite the wind - Only a bit though) now roll aileron into the wind until longitudinal axis is correct. Use ailerons to fix effects of gusts to remain in middle of runway. Having said all this, it's a lot easier said than done to not begin to lessen the slip and land flat as you say, but this method provides the more aggressive inputs you were after. Just my five cents worth. Love your channel!

[@Rocketman74]

I'm heading up in a 172 in a few weeks for my first lesson. Had the discovery flight a couple of weeks back while still in the middle of ground school. Will also be watching your vids mate to help me along the way! Great explanation as usual, LEW ! WELCOME TO 2 WHEELS MAN ! LOL

[@nathanwildthorn6919]

Well done! The toughest xwind C172 landing that I (successfully) completed was a 24 knotter at KSEE in SoCal. But it was _not_ as smoooooth as yours! 😅 Thanks, Lew! 😊

[@LewDixAviation]

Nice one man! Appreciate it!

[@jimmydulin928]

In strong crosswinds I give way to any traffic and fly base into the crosswind and realign (imagine) final centerline from the downwind corner to the upwind thousand feet stripe. I use full flaps and a power/pitch approach slow enough that dynamic throttle can nail glide angle all the way down to touchdown slowly and softly on the exact downwind corner of the runway. It is hard to damage a 172 say at 20 mph on touchdown.

[@GolfFoxtrot22]

Some great debrief points which I might need in the future...I'll try and DM you Lewis. A flexwing landing in a cross wind is almost a non-event...point into wind and the trike automatically aligns with the direction of travel upon touchdown. :)

[@jo2ed]

Awesome video. The more and more I hear you bash on the Cessnas the more I want to get in a piper lol. I haven't taken the opportunity to do so, but I need to experience what you keep mentioning. I do dislike the high wing when you're turning downwind to base and you can't see the runway. During my PPL training my instructor just told me to use my heading indicator - line up the runway number on the left or ride side of the heading indicator depending if it's left or right traffic and you'll be good. It was a "Duh" moment for me, like why didn't I think of that. Ever since then I make sure I use all available resources to me in and out of the aircraft. We pilots keep learning!

[@mad85123]

Thank you for the video!!! I needed this! Haven’t flown in a while and my most recent crosswind landing was side loaded in a 172…

[@LewDixAviation]

Perfect timing then! We’re all still working on our landings, regardless of experience haha

[@Madpom68]

Great video! I like you mentioned considering a go-round and comments around airspeed control. My home airport (NZPP) often has some very tasty X winds. I also have to admit and agree (flying both makes) that Pipers eat x winds and Cessnas don’t so much 🤓

[@MyAviationDose]

Awesome content Lew ! thanks !

[@PPL_Mick]

You broke my heart with that Cessna comment 😝

[@garethmorgan1282]

Great video. I've had my PPL (UK) for 2 years but always needing to improve on landings especially X-wind.

[@aydenflickinger4953]

At 2:40 you mention using right rudder to crab into the wind but a crab should be coordinated straight and level flight simply using bank angle to maintain centerline. If you’re using right rudder to intentionally point the nose into the wind you are not only inducing a skidding turn which is very dangerous if you stall, but you’re making it harder on yourself when you go to transition into the side slip which uses left rudder (if you have a right crosswind). Hoping you can clear this up as I may have misunderstood. Thanks!

[@LewDixAviation]

You’re over complicating it. The winds were rocking me and that rudder control is to help keep the nose into the wind and stop it from swinging. If I had no rudder input I’d have had to go around haha Hope that clears it up.

[@aydenflickinger4953]

@ interesting, thank you for sharing! I’ll try that technique next time I go flying in gusty crosswinds and see how it goes

[@Acc0rd79]

This was a great video for kids learning. Perhaps you can go into Orlando North one day and come in from both directions as long as the pattern is clear! You can show what it's like with wind in your face vs behind you pushing you down the runway further.

[@idekav.]

watching the silhouette on the side made me think of an end scene where you’re just being recorded leaving the pattern and it cuts to the cockpit “well **** thanks for recording mate find your way back home” 😂

[@TarasZpilot]

It's been awhile but I remember something about Cessna 172 slips with full flaps were prohibited. I used to use less flaps in my Cessna Cardinal especially in crosswinds. Your videos are entertaining.

[@LewDixAviation]

This model’s POH doesn’t prohibit slips however it’s says “steep slips should be avoided” with flap settings more than 20°. It talks about elevator oscillations which I’ve never encountered in my whole flying career.

[@rapinncapin123]

Dope!

[@jimmydulin928]

I like the side slip because I generally make final no more than a quarter mile. I teach students to side slip because it teaches dynamic and proactive rudder usage more clearly. In no wind or crosswind, nailing/bracketing the centerline between our legs for exact longitudinal alignment does not allow the nose to move from direct to target. If the nose cannot move off direct to target, the wing cannot bank (no wind) or change from the set bank (crosswind.) Waiting for the nose to come off target and then correcting with a turn, coordinated or poorly with adverse yaw, will make true longitudinal alignment seldom happen. Adverse yaw is a major problem for students when concentrating on round out, hold off, and flair. Correct yaw works so much better. I jam my thumb under the right side of the yoke. When the student starts a wing wag (aileron use), I say, "walk the rudder pedals to maintain alignment." I also point out to students that using rudder alone is also proper in the wings level crab. If we nail the wind correction angle between our legs and butt to target with dynamic proactive rudder usage (walk the pedals,) the wing cannot bank.

[@bubbaman12289]

In smaller aircraft right now in central Florida is ruff lol getting my tail wheel right now and damn the wind is brutal

[@Thatguyrienfnflgl]

Tell me more about your side load lewDIX

[@LewDixAviation]

@@Thatguyrienfnflgl That’s for another channel

[@Thatguyrienfnflgl]

@ 😂😂😂

[@mad85123]

Landing side loaded is my biggest weakness with crosswind landings… less apparent with a Cherokee

[@texstar77]

Do we have a Love Connection?!?!?

[@spelldaddy5386]

I think you're being too hard on yourself. You talk from a CFI perspective about having different, unique ways to teach a student. The same is true with landings. If the wind is doing weird things, the exact landing technique won't look exactly like the textbook. Whether your flare is a few degrees higher or lower, as long as it's in the safe range and you get a smooth touchdown, isn't always the important part. You had the slip in enough to get the correct wheel down first, which was good. Did you let the nose come down slightly too early? Maybe, but that's nothing to beat yourself up on, as long as the landing was executed in a safe manner

[@Coops777]

Totally agree. I thought he did a great job

[@LewDixAviation]

Means a lot man, thank you!

[@SaqeebKhan910]

🐐

[@PacificMidwest]

I noticed you used 30 degrees of flaps, is there ever a scenario where you use less or no flaps? I’ve been trained to use no or less flaps in higher winds and I hate it because my airspeed is higher when I cross the threshold 😅

[@Madpom68]

Flap-less landings and X wind landings are part of our bi-annual flight reviews here in NZ 😎

[@markbennett9043]

Oh no sime ultanious. No tank terms lol

[@wyatt92563]

Would less flaps help?

[@LewDixAviation]

@@wyatt92563 Flaps were fine, I could have been a bit more “aggressive” with my control inputs.

[@wyatt92563]

@ thx for the reply 😃 I did a twilight flight last night out of F70. My second since getting my PPL. Beautiful sunset. And landing with the runway lights on was so much fun. Take care 🙋🏻‍♂️

[@LewDixAviation]

@ Amazing! Love to hear it. It’s so freeing isn’t it?

[@j_ondrusek]

All the birds in nature missed your memo about high wing design being wrong 😉

[@LewDixAviation]

@@j_ondrusek I absolutely missed the memo about planes flapping their wings 🤓

[@j_ondrusek]

@ the pivot point for their wings does not shift down to belly when flapping.

[@matthewwilliams2128]

What *was* the crosswind? Give us a number. Well - two numbers.

[@scottbeyer101]

Nah man the landing was fine. The epaulettes though? Ur just trying to add metal to my oil sample.

[@LewDixAviation]

@@scottbeyer101 *See previous video

[@waynesilva3129]

Why full flaps with this kind of cross wind.

[@LewDixAviation]

@@waynesilva3129 Short runway. Not sure why people are so afraid of flaps with a crosswind. Yes my crosswind technique could have been a little better but it had nothing to do with using full flaps. If it was a stronger wind though, I would have used reduced flaps.

[@jaywung7616]

You are being hard on yourself, or at least you're excessively emphasizing landing on the upwind wheel first. The wind in ground effect can be MUCH slower than the wind above 100' AGL, and that includes the crosswind. Even if you're stomping all the way on the rudder and fighting the upwind wing lifting all the way down, it may suddenly dissipate near the ground, or be reduced by buildings or that line of bushes to your right. OTOH, gusts or wind funnels can occasionally increase the crosswind. The only important outcome is whether the plane is staying on centerline and tracking down the runway correctly. If it does, then it doesn't matter which wheel touches when.

[@LewDixAviation]

Appreciate you man!