"Crab & Kick" with me in a Taildragger in some Gusty Crosswind Landings in my Piper J3 Cub

It was a bit Windy today at the Flying W (270 @10-sh gusting to 15), I don't mind the wind so much but highly dislike when it's variable, it makes it much more challenging, especially when you are as underpowered as the J-3 Cub. I know some people prefer to sideslip all the way down but I MUCH prefer to Crab all the way down then kick out it with aileron into the wind and landing on the upwind wheel first, then get the downwind main down and then finally the Tailwheel.

[@shayefowler6651]

Nice work man, and thanks in advance for wrapping that front stick with some bright yellow goodness!! 🤙🏼

[@Bananasssssssss]

ha no problem! I put tape on the rudder pedals too, lol. Harder to see though

[@shayefowler6651]

@@Bananasssssssss now I’ve gotta go back and re-watch it!!🤪

[@martinl9137]

So fun to watch. Feel like I’m flying the Cub. Love it!

[@lorenzodunn3226]

Excellent film footage and sound. Perfect commentary.

[@Bananasssssssss]

Thank you very much!

[@Coops777]

Loved it Joe. You have to fight for a good landing in the cub in those conditions, but that's what makes cub flying so much fun - The challenges. Great camera positions showed very well, the control inputs you used to counter the crosswinds. Excellent video

[@Bananasssssssss]

Thank you! Appreciate it!!

[@davidlewis2626]

Quite the hand and foot workout. Good video Joe, thanks.

[@MtPocketsRacing]

Man I grew up watching the planes at all the small airports in nj and now I’m a private pilot working on my ir in mn … this is awesome 😎

[@guardian95aviation]

That was excellent!!!

[@lostgriz]

Great stuff here!

[@davidlewis2626]

Nice job Joe, btdt, but glad to get back to the hanger and a cold one. Gotta have a fridge ya know.

[@johnmajane3731]

Very smooth.

[@martind181968]

Nice flying as usual. We all have our ways of handling a bit of crosswind, I usually start bringing my nose around a little earlier than your technique to keep from spazzing out a bit with rudder and aileron correction at ground level, but everyone has their way that is comfortable. Interesting with that tree line at that end of the runway your using this day, it looks like you could get some additional skadoos in addition to the crosswind.

[@Bananasssssssss]

It does get a little swirly on that runway for whatever reason. Not sure if its the Trees and the hangar, both etc

[@JohnChvatalGSTV]

I remember the first month or so of flight training in a Taylorcraft, most of my lessons lessons had crosswinds in the low teens gusting in the high teens. Talk about trial by fire.

[@Bananasssssssss]

Probably better than what I did. Wouldn’t go up if there was any wind and missed out on so many good flying days, lol

[@andreaberry3553]

Great video! Would also really love to see one on the takeoff and climb in gusty crosswinds

[@Bananasssssssss]

Working on a Gusty Crosswind Takeoff and Landing long form video. should be out in a week or so..

[@gregorygehrke1850]

Great content, thank you. I enjoyed watching how much you have to jockey the stick, have you though on having a rudder cam in those conditions, so we could watch the rudder inputs?

[@Bananasssssssss]

Yeah, I actually have a Great Tailcam that looks like it's C"Chasing" the plane and shows Rudder and Elevator really well. I will make another video like that,

[@karhukivi]

For an airfield with a paved runway, they don't cut much of a hole in the trees, do they? Great work on those landings!

[@elmoreglidingclub3030]

Very nice. I have a 65 hp /wooden prop Cub as well. Love it. Always wanted to own one and having it is even better than I imagined. How much, would you say, oomph do we lose by having a wooden vs metal prop?? (Not that I’m changing). To me, it’s a lot like learning to sail. You learn way, way more sailing small boats than large ones. Same with a Cub. You learn far more with a low-powered taildragger than flying a spam can.

[@Bananasssssssss]

Agreed! Kind of have to plan ahead. I think we lose more on the higher end RPM wise where a wood prop would react quicker to throttle inputs so hard to say it it matters much initially during a Go Around but would help on climbout

[@mattgerhart8892]

You must make a good stew with all the pot stirin you do 😂

[@johnmajane3731]

I prefer crab and then right before flaring go into the slip. Wing down dir drift, rudder to keep aligned with runway.

[@adamriehl8166]

Super cool! Thoughts on crab vs side slip x-wind technique? I was taught both but in my opinion side slip is easier for students because there is more time. But crab is great for normal flying because it’s coordinated until right before touch down.

[@Bananasssssssss]

I honestly have never really tried sideslip, or if I did I hated it lol. I guess I would suggest both and see what you prefer. I like to do less cause I’m lazy so I like crab & kick, lol

[@robertrussell1604]

@@Bananasssssssss i think you're sideslipping when you touch down though, no? Crab + kick -> into the sideslip instead of riding a sideslip for all of final

[@Bananasssssssss]

@@robertrussell1604 correct, I just meant on final, right before I cross threshold

[@theflyingchillipepper]

You make this look sooooo easy, and it’s not 😂

[@Bananasssssssss]

I think back to my first few months with the Cub and I wouldn’t go out of pattern, would only fly with zero wind and had stomach pains every flight because I felt so out of my comfort zone! I’ve definitely gotten better but frequently get humbled, lol

[@theflyingchillipepper]

@@Bananasssssssss I’m still at the “omg omg omg…. Yay I’m alive” stage of landing my tail dragger. I do only have about 10hrs in it so far though. I’m still straight on or only mildly cross wind landing, but I am on tarmac. It’s starting to feel more natural now, but only slightly. lol 😂

[@Bananasssssssss]

@@theflyingchillipepper happens slowly but when it clicks, it clicks….and then you scare yourself again when you think “pffff this is easy” 😂

[@leeross7896]

thats not a crosswind, fly south texas kbro, khrl in march or april :)

[@Bananasssssssss]

Wont see me in a J3 Cub out there 😂😂

[@thomasabramson100]

Joe why is there no save button on this video??

[@thomasabramson100]

Joe what is you max variable wind you'll take the cub up at what point is it a no go????

[@Bananasssssssss]

If I see 20kts I don’t go, 15-20 I think about it. (Depends on a few things) Below 15kts I’m pretty comfortable usually.