Airliner landing technique

"William W. Plummer" wrote:


Here's an explanation by a highly qualified (F-4G, F-16, and B-52) USAF
pilot:

" In landing the B-52 with its very long wings, it is imperative to
have the wings level through touchdown, the landing "trucks" aligned
with the runway, and the aircraft fuselage crabbed in to the wind.

On final approach, the crew notes the wind speed and direction
and, using a handy "crosswind landing chart," computes the number of
degrees that the landing "trucks" must be offset to ensure they are
aligned down the runway on landing. Then the pilot or copilot reaches
down to a mechanism sitting between the pilots and "dials in" the
appropriate number of degrees of offset for the trucks. This procedure
is accomplished for EVERY landing.

As I recall, normal (non wartime) procedures routinely allowed
for 20 degrees of offset. More offset is possible but slightly
uncomfortable for the new pilot making such a landing as he will not be
looking straight ahead at touchdown but rather he will be looking toward
his left or right shoulder."

But, the B-52 is very, very different than civil jet transport aircraft. It
has crosswind landing gear.

In a sense it's a bit like the question of why airliners fly wings level
even under asymmetric power. The best answer I heard was :"because they
*can*".

Julian Scarfe

I believe that is true for any aircraft certified under Part 25.

CV wrote:

wrote:

I can't speak to the 747 or 777, but I can the 767 and L-1011. There is
always controversy about it, but the truth is in watching the autopilot do
an auto-land. It's all crab until about 150 feet, HAT, where the autopilot
goes into align mode; that is it transitions from crab to wing down into the
wind with a slight amount of upwind rudder. This last throughout the flare
^^^^^^
downwind rudder, surely.
CV

Correct, downwind rudder and upwind aileron. If I am landing on Runway 27 and the
wind is from 360 at 25, the left foot will be on the rudder and the control wheel
will be to the right. ;-)