Mastering Crosswind Landings in a Cessna 172 - Part 2

This video is part two of a series on mastering crosswind landings. In part one we flew in some very heavy winds but here in part two, we cover a more common scenario: the light, steady crosswind. Let's face it the wind is very rarely right down the runway, so when you're learning to fly it's important to have precision lateral control and deal with the (often light) crosswinds that can cause bad alignment and drift. Bad alignment is usually what causes an uncomfortable touchdown and in this video, I will teach you how to deal with it. We also cover an exercise you can do with your instructor (or with your students) to help them get this concept even when there are no winds at all. Please enjoy and share!
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[@Spray-N-Pray]

Jason, I wish all CFI's were as passionate about teaching as you are. There are so many time builders out there. We need more of your breed in the world.

[@110knotscfii]

Brian S I’m glad to report that, even though I am time building, I love building pilots. The pay sucks, It’s frustrating at times, but for the first time in a long time, I’m impacting lives! Keep up the good work!

[@TheFinerPoints]

Thanks for the compliment Brian!

[@alessio272]

I’m not even a CFI and I’ve helped student pilots to not make the same mistake again. Experience has been my best instructor.

[@adamhammond6250]

I've struggled with centreline control and have NEVER had an instructor explain this concept. As Albert Einstein said: If you can't explain something in simple terms, you don't really know what you're talking about. Brilliant work!

[@drcode4]

When I was a student on my solo cross country, I had a crosswind landing set up that I really thought was looking good....until I got low enough and the hangars blocked my crosswind. Suddenly, I had too much rudder and not enough talent. I landed sideways because I didn't correct the rudder input in time. Almost rolled the airplane and scared myself pretty good. That was the day I found out how important the rudder was. Great video. Thank you.

[@oldglory1944]

Ailerons have 3 chores; 1) make the bank to TURN the plane (99% of our flying) 2) approaching the runway: makes the BANK that stops xwind drift. 3) ON the runway: provides the ADVERSE YAW that aids rudder in directional control to brake speed.

[@michelgardes]

Hi Jason. I know the odds of you replying are low but I'll give it a try. I'm a private pilot, I've got a little less than 200 hours, and I like practicing traffic patterns when I return to my field after a short flight, especially when there is crosswind. I will never be able to go beyond PPL due to a moderate color blindness, but I do care about flying as professionally as possible. I've noticed that when I decrab during a crosswind landing, I apply aileron into the wind as expected, but instead of touching the upwind wheel first, I will very often touch both main gear wheels at the same time. Everything will then continue smoothly, I continue applying increasing aileron as speed decreases and I keep the centerline by adding rudder accordingly. I know I am not applying enough aileron, and I'm trying to improve on that. But, to be honest, given that I am able to maintain the centerline, the benefit of touching the upwind wheel first is not that clear to me. I do understand that you certainly do not want to touch the downwind wheel first, and that the best way to avoid that is to touch the upwind wheel first. But I don't quite understand what's wrong with landing on both wheels when decrabing if you manage to keep the centerline upon touchdown. I know I am probably missing something here. What's your take on that? Is it really bad to touch both main gear wheels at the same time after decrabing? Thanks for your videos and the effort you put into them. Quality content like yours is what the web was made for.

[@shareef9996]

Wow!!! Awesome video!! 130 hours later I understand much better!!!

[@mgmm14]

That explanation/demonstration at 6:10 is phenomenal.

[@TheMwarner88]

wow, this guy is a really good instructor. Subtle differences!

[@Parr4theCourse]

I agree the strong winds you’re super focused, its those that are “no big deal” cross-winds that come up and bite you, great job!!!

[@TheFinerPoints]

Right!? It really seems like that is the bigger challenge a lot of the time. 👍🙏🏻

[@ervincornavaca9575]

Jason, you’re the epitome of a CFI, you have the talent to teach and the ability to connect with your students. At the end of the day, its all about fundamentals and you’re able to project those fundamentals crystal clear. Awesome job - I learn a lot from your videos.

[@danmoriarty1278]

Jason, your videos are such a great help. Thank you. They’re instructional and fun and blessedly free of goofy click bait. If there were some way to represent graphically the degree of rudder being used in these videos, it would be next level for those of us on the steep side of the learning curve. I see the result of the rudder input on the windscreen and I have just enough time to have a hunch about what is going on with the rudder pedals. If I could see, for instance, this is what a half inch of right rudder deflection accomplishes at this airspeed in these winds, etc. it would help take the mystery out of what’s going on down there in that dark area by my feet.

[@eknuds]

I'm a recently licensed helicopter pilot and I just began pursuing my airplane add on. Being able to read articles online and watch KZbin videos while experimenting with X-Plane with flight controls has really helped. I'm sure X-Plane has saved me a few hours of dual.

[@cq7415]

Forward slips vs side slips, good. Thanks for sharing.

[@flighttrain932]

Great exercises with your student. Love it!!

[@shaunkruger]

Your other video a on crosswind landings that you mention where you do the exercise of banking to move side to side was one of the things that helped me get better at crosswind landings. It helped me to think in terms of always pointing the nose straight down the runway with the rudder and using my alerons to make sure I'm on the center line.

[@warriorboy16]

I've been through a bunch of different instructors, and you seem like one of the best in the business out there. Thanks for the vids! I have a fair amount of time/ratings, and I find myself learning new techniques from you all the time

[@matthewcirnigliaro9124]

Best explanation of the distinction between forward slips and side slips I've heard yet. I'll definitely be taking that info with me on my next lesson.

[@FlightReview]

This is awesome. I am going to ask my CFI to try this sideslip exercise the next time we are in the pattern. Thanks for the tips!

[@coreyjordan2745]

Always be learning.

[@zevnafte5168]

I’m currently a PPL student all the way in the Canada, love your channel so much! Super happy I found it! You seem like a fantastic instructor who knows exactly he’s doing. :)

[@rpcraighead]

Fantastic Jason. THIS kind of thing is why I'm a patron. It's a huge amount of value for any level. I'm going to begin working on my commercial ticket next month, and I'm learning quite a bit on teaching technique for the CFI ride as well! The way you explain concepts is masterful... It helps me think about things I heard in the cockpit years ago, but didn't REALLY get because I was struggling to fly, had my own internal voice chastising me... Great stuff.

[@wojciechgrodnicki6302]

Upwind aileron and opposite rudder pedal. Got it. Thx dude.

[@hbl142]

Thanks for clearing up the difference between forward and side slips.

[@miguelborges8083]

Really interesting video!! Thanks a lot for sharing such good content! :)

[@2ndbar]

From the beginning of my training, I could handle the strong, steady crosswinds. It was the light and gusty ones that had me puzzled. Understanding the need to be lighter on the rudder will help me to master them. Thanks.

[@pinkdispatcher]

Wow indeed. My crosswind-landing technique leaves much to be desired, and finally here are some practical tips. I'll probably do some of those low passes next time to get more of a feeling for it. Thanks a lot!

[@prestonmiller9552]

Excellent Jason! That is the best explanation I have ever seen on the differences between side slip and forward slip. Thanks for that.

[@CZSurfrider]

I cannot begin to describe how helpful your videos and podcasts have been Jason. On my way over to the Patreon page. I am starting my training from zero to hero in Fresno this coming year but have it on my list to book a flight with you somewhere along the way as we have friends in the bay area. Keep up the awesome work and thank you for your generous contributions to this great field.

[@TheFinerPoints]

Thank you! and thanks for saying so ... and for becoming a Patron. I really appreciate that support and it truly does make all of this possible.

[@briankdonner]

All of your videos are fantastic. Thank you for filming and posting these. I wish you were my CFI. Maybe I'll come along on an adventure someday (when I'm not broke).

[@BradHallStudios]

Wow, so helpful Jason

[@alfieboy4022]

This was extremely useful during my solo today. There was an 8 knot crosswind that was somewhat variable and using only the crab it was difficult to time when to remove the crab during the flare due to the variability in the wind. It’s much easier to stay crabbed into the wind on final (since it’s much more stable during gusts) and transition into the sideslip for precise lateral control right before crossing the threshold on short final. I guess one thing to call out is the need to add a bit of power before doing so due to the increased sink rate in the side slip.

[@kylekendall1587]

I love it! "....forward...side......forward....side.." Reminds me of Seaseme Street "....near....far.....near....far..." Great explanation Jason! Thanks again for your instruction!

[@caiquesantana2339]

Man, this is a must-watch channel! I am on my CPL course right now and have been learning so much here as well, greetings from Brazil ! Thanks for the knowledge

[@dieselelectricdoctor4850]

Thank you for this video! I went out flying today with my instructor and struggled on crosswind landings. I had an issue understanding what the rudder does verses what the ailerons do during crosswind correction and this video blew my mind after realizing why I kept nosing to the right. Your very simple explanation of rudder controlling the nose and ailerons controlling the slip made complete sense. I find during flight as a novice pilot landings are never enough time to fully grasp personal error and how to correct, but de-briefing to videos like these really help someone like myself learn to fly proficient!

[@Kylezjohnston]

Awesome. Thank you

[@brianrutledge575]

Excellent instruction as always...

[@TheFinerPoints]

Thanks Brian!

[@kenrosen7444]

good job teaching the proper skills for crosswind Landings.. you are definitely saving lives for the future

[@kimberlywentworth9160]

This is really good.

[@AndroydFM]

Wow this video was great! 👍

[@daipower1]

Jason, I have converted from Flexwing to 3 axis Microlight. I am enjoying your videos, very informative, thanks mate.

[@Gumby1974]

This stuff is gold.

[@kautschman]

Thanks! So helpful!

[@faisalsultan892]

Been struggling with perfect landings. I wish I had you as my CFI. These videos are great! Thanks!

[@110knotscfii]

Faisal Sultan your CFI probably says all the same things, but you can’t listen because you are task saturated in the airplane. This is why CBT works so well.

[@faisalsultan892]

@@110knotscfii You're probably right. Sorry for the stupid question but what is "CBT"? Is that basically adding simulator into the training regimen?

[@110knotscfii]

Faisal Sultan computer based training. Video ETC.

[@vivian_music]

@@faisalsultan892 Cock and Ball Torture

[@BudFunOne]

This is a “greatie”. Thanks

[@steveszanto1581]

This is so good! I want to drive to the airport right now for a lesson

[@Falckodotcom]

I really like your style of instruction. It’s very clear and calm. Any student pilot should consider himself lucky with an instructor like yourself. Oh btw, you got an extra Patreon. 👍

[@TheFinerPoints]

Thanks!

[@mannypuerta5086]

Good instruction. Brought back some more memories for me. I soloed on 28L (when it was 27L), then eventually became a CFI at my alma mater, Sierra Academy of Aeronautics. Lot’s of crosswind practice at CCR.

[@TheFinerPoints]

Awesome Manny, I remember Sierra well.

[@feetgoaroundfullflapsC]

Sierra had a 500 feet downwind leg runway at Oakland when i visited there in 1982. Great for practicing quick take off and landings.. You could do 15 in an hour.

[@HitsOutdoors]

This is awesome... I wish my instructor would have taught me this way...

[@TheFinerPoints]

HitsOutdoors thanks! I’m glad you found it 👍🙌

[@chrisfowler6278]

Wonderful video. I believe you hit the nail on the head with this topic. Going through an accelerated part 61 school, I can tell you that I myself and several other students struggled with maintaining centerline on subtle crosswind days. Everything seems fine until you start the round out and flare and then centerline just drifts away from you. Thus leaving you in a precarious situation if on a narrow runway and forcing you to make Good ADM judgments early on in your flight training. Your previous video on side slips helped me pass my private checkride. It was 11kt, gusting 18kt with 20 degree of deflection. Thank you for all of your hard work, I for one definitely appreciate it!

[@TheFinerPoints]

Awesome Chris! Thanks 👍🙏🏻 nice job! Congrats 🎉

[@chrisfowler6278]

The Finer Points will you be coming over to Sun n’Fun this year? Would love to meet you in person!

[@mrsaskriders]

Cool!

[@cherfieldm]

I love it.

[@tjm2212]

I’m commercially rated and absolutely love how precise you can counter crosswinds to land on centerline with this technique. I have a question that has never occurred to me until now. There is a massive educational movement to prevent pilots from getting cross controlled on the base to final turn. Why is this technique (cross controlled at low airspeed and altitude) not considered dangerous like the dreaded overshoot on final?

[@davidkvatadze5388]

tjm2212 it’s not about cross controlled it’s about cross controlled while being too slow with the nose continuing to come up that kills you

[@natevanness]

Too big a discussion for a YT comment, IMHO, however one point to remember is that while the x-control required for crosswind is a slip, the base-to-final x-control is a skidding turn. Slips are safe and useful (to a point) however skids are bad technique that have no utility in normal flying, and are very dangerous low to the ground.

[@natevanness]

tjm2212 two things- if you stall, slip, skid 6 inches over the runway, no issue, as long as the longitudinal axis of the airplane is aligned with the flight path, and no lateral drift. The base to final tie is done in the air, and contains an additional ingredient- yaw- that is brought about by the skidding turn. Stall+yaw= spin. If we stalled in a forward slip at altitude we could also spin, but it’s much more difficult to spin due to the aerodynamics of the slip (this assumes an aircraft with relatively docile handling). If you’ve ever heard of “under the bottom” vs “over the top” spins this is what we are talking about. I recommend 2 things- read Rich Stowall’s excellent book “Emergency Maneuver Training” and also take a CFI up and have him demonstrate a couple of cross control stalls. Do one from a “crosswind landing” attitude as well as a base to final skidding turn. It’ll be worth every penny.

[@TheFinerPoints]

That's a great question and the responses here are solid. It is a bit too much for a KZbin comment, but I thank you for this. I will take this up in a completely separate video, thx

[@ForkPilot]

Amazing video sir!

[@TheFinerPoints]

Thank you!

[@SVSky]

1 May checkride if I pass I would love to come on one of your trips!

[@TheFinerPoints]

Awesome! We'd love to have you. Good luck!

[@Rodhern]

Maybe a dumb question: If low and slow at 50 ft in the air is a concern couldn't you fly say 6 ft above the runway instead. Is it due to worry over wingtips, lateral loads, ATC or something like that? Oh, and thank you Austin for letting this be uploaded.

[@c7ry]

side slip technique for xwind increases a lot the rate of descend, due to a lot more drag, so you have to add more power to stay on the glide.. That's why I prefer the crab technique

[@dand2440]

One word...WOW...great lesson though:)

[@yoshiwankenobi1768]

Wow

[@alejandronovoa9883]

I think maybe you should start with side slips up in the air so the student get the manauver before trying over the runway. Maybe you have alraedy do it before with the student but its not in the video. Thank you , you are doing great

[@TheFinerPoints]

The hard part there is getting a reference that is specific enough to have the student notice the subtlety of the side slip. I think this can work well for forward slips, in fact it's a great idea for those. But side slips are very hard to "see" at altitude. Usually students use too much rudder without a runway reference. Even with a runway reference actually haha

[@eugeniouriona4368]

Can you do one for steep turns?

[@patrikj]

So speaking of finer points: if you're changing your lateral position, your flight path isn't aligned with the runway any more. Why do you want to keep the nose aligned with the runway and not with your flight path in that situation? I'd assume you'd always want to the nose aligned with your flight path since you might touch down at any point.

[@brenooliveiragomes2005]

What about the airplanes with low wings? Could the wing touch the ground? Could the upwind be damaged If It touches First?

[@messianichebrewshawnkawcak1550]

Does landing at high altitude airports (5000-8000) change how much this works? If I could afford to become a pilot I would be landing at airports 5000’ Albuquerque, NM for example. The flight simulator I am working with has airports at sea level, and most CFI videos I have seen are low altitudes with high Density altitude and high pressure altitude. Do you have to land at faster speeds because of the thin air up here in the mountains? From what I’ve seen it takes a lot longer to takeoff on runway is at high altitude because Acceleration is slower and air is so thin.

[@chrisure4327]

I have a CFI who says to use full flaps on all landings and a Instructor who advises me to use little or no flaps on turbulent and cross wind landings. I would appreciate your opinion.

[@nicholascurrier161]

What is going on with the bank indicator at the end of the video?

[@MustafaYlmaz-de1nh]

While doing sideslip, throttle is required or idle ?

[@chuckmartin5773]

IS the rudder key in not getting the side load??

[@henryjimenez3527]

Where did you get that mini Cessna?

[@DustyWall]

6:30 Man, this is gonna screw with me so bad: The FORWARD slip presents the SIDE of the airplane in the direction of travel, and the SIDE slip presents the FRONT of the airplane in the direction of travel.

[@relax-vf4zg]

so forward slip is to lose altitude w/o gaining mch airspeed and side slip is use for crosswind landing? plz correct me if im wrong..thanks for helping me understand..i always thought sideslip is use to lose altitude

[@masterdaddychris5986]

Correct, because a forward slip is a nosing over technique, whereas a side slip is pointing the nose into the wind to counteract the wind from drifting you off course/centerline

[@mannypuerta5086]

MasterDaddyChris Forward and side slip is defined by the track the aircraft makes. A forward slip is for enhancing rate of descent (lead with rudder and follow with aileron to continue a forward track with the nose displaced in a crab) and a side slip is for crosswind landing control (lead with aileron and add rudder to maintain the longitudinal axis of the airplane with the runway centerline while controlling lateral drift, banking with aileron displacement)...like he described.

[@glibsonoran]

Yes the point of a forward slip is to present as much of the side of the aircraft as possible to your direction of travel without changing your ground track. Flying the aircraft sideways like that makes a ton of drag and reduces lift so you can lose altitude fast without gaining speed and without changing your course. The point of a side slip is to change course without changing your aircraft's heading, in effect creeping sideways with the aircraft still pointed straight ahead. This allows you to make course corrections without changing the aircraft's orientation to the ground. If you made a regular turn to change course you'd have to turn back to straighten up with the runway and you risk landing side loaded or over-correcting, you'd be trying to perform two separate maneuvers while managing flare and speed in the short time before touchdown.

[@Maximka1100]

One important thing that no one mentioned here, is that forward slip is performed with power idle, so aircraft can decent. Important

[@todddenning4624]

I don’t quite understand why you would want to use right rudder when you’re right of the centerline. Wouldn’t that result in turning the nose of the airplane to the right?

[@TheFinerPoints]

Todd Denning that’s why I say it like “prevent the nose from following.” It’s a little confusing. Remember that it’s the horizontal component of lift that causes the airplane to turn. so if you are right of the center line and you bank to the left the airplane will turn to the left but you don’t want the nose to turn because you want the nose to stay down the runway. so that’s why you push right rudder - and the airplane moves sideways to the left

[@todddenning4624]

@@TheFinerPoints Got it! Thanks so much.

[@c172flyer]

Wow...wow. Lol

[@TheFinerPoints]

I love his enthusiasm. It's so fun to teach him, he's really great student ... and that "wow" is pretty funny

[@BrianGochnauer]

I don't see the hour long video on Patreon??

[@TheFinerPoints]

Hi Brian, it's called "Early Landings and Crosswind Practice with Austin" I think I spoke a bit too fast in the voice over, it's actually a half hour long -- but it is pretty much unedited and shows all the work we did this day at Oakland. $10 / $20 Patrons get access to these minimally edited lessons and there are many up there on the Patreon page. I hope you choose to support the channel and I hope you get a lot out of those (and the public) videos!

[@BrianGochnauer]

​@@TheFinerPoints I am a $10 patron but couldn't find it. But I have to say $10 seems a little steep; maybe it is simply because it is hard to scroll through the Patreon site to find interesting videos. I have a few hundred hours as a private pilot; VFR and thinking about working towards IFR... I will evaluate for a couple months but I don't expect to that i'll see it has worth $10 a month long term but we'll see.

[@TheFinerPoints]

@@BrianGochnauer It's the 4th video down from the top. I'm not sure what to say about the $10 per month. Isn't that like 1 trip to McDonalds? I work so hard on these videos. Do you know how long it takes to edit these? Anyway, I'm really not getting rich on this -- just trying to justify continuing to spend the kind of time I do away from regular students and here in the editing studio.

[@stealhty1]

Ppl get the plane way to slow and find then self running out of rudder,,on the other hand ,a cross wind landing on a short ruway is another storie