Taildragger crosswind technique

[JW Scud]

I wonder if that will get the attention of anyone here.

What about this idea of not landing straight down the runway but angled into wind and then a curved rollout. I'm not sure if there are any experience tailwheel pilots here but if there are, I was wondering about this statement on another forum:

"Angle toward the runway from the Downwind side aiming to touchdown around the Downwind approach end corner. What this does is take out quite a bit of the crosswind component. Next, let the airplane arc naturally as it approaches the Upwind edge on rollout, at which time you have it about parallel with the runway. Slowing and a little arcing can be done safely with most of the runway ahead and on your downwind side. Slow enough and gear planted, no real worry about weather vaneing."

Has anyone tried this and if so, details would be nice.

[Chuck Ellsworth]

I have a fair amount of tail wheel time and I have never used that method of landing.

If the X / wind is so strong that I can not land on the centre line and keep it there until the airplane is stopped I do not land on that runway.

In other words the technique is of no use in my opinion unless there is absolutely  no other way to land and so far I haven never had to use it.

[Slick Goodlin]

“Let the plane arc naturally” sounds odd to me.  What natural force would be causing the plane to weathervane [i]away[/i] from the wind at that point?

[Trey Kule]

I am not sure exactly what you mean, but the sense I get is your trying to land with a crab..if that is correct it is a very bad idea. You don’t have to touch down with much of a crab to make things interesting.
Or, maybe you are suggesting trying to sort of turn into a. X-wind and then straighten up down the runway.
I really do not think that is a good idea.
If you cannot bank and keep the longitudinal axis parallel to and down the centre of the runway, with rudder, the x wind is simply to strong,
Anyway, if you want to try it giddy up, and let us know how it works out for you. If you cant post, maybe ask one of the nurses to do it for you.

[Nark1]

100% crap.  If I understand it he’s saying no “final” leg.  Okay I do that often as well. 

Where he loses credibility,  is the expectation there is no wind on touchdown. 

Often at 500’, if there is wind, there is also wind on the surface.

Also, be a pilot.  Use your rudder for directional control.  It’s important. 

[Slick Goodlin]

I think we’re all picturing this technique differently.  The way I see it is they’re advising to land diagonally on the runway, sort of making your own centre line that has slightly less of a crosswind.  I guess if you were landing a Cub on a 200 foot wide runway [i]and[/i] you touched down exactly on the edge of the pavement, you could probably take that sucker at 45° to maybe even 60° off the runway heading.  My gut says if you’re good enough to do that, you’re smart enough to not be relying on using that one and only runway in those conditions.

[John Swallow]

I have used the angled take-off procedure in wind conditions that aerodynamic control alone would not allow a standard take-off. 




I have used an angled-landing procedure in wind conditions that aerodynamic control alone would not allow for a standard approach and landing. 




In both cases, if there had been other options, one would have been selected.




However, "needs must..."

[Colonel]

Doesn’t matter how you get there, but when you
touch down in a tailgragger, the aircraft must be
aligned with the direction of travel.

The above assumes lots of traction (eg dry paved
runway) and no crosswind landing gear on your
taildragger.

On an icy runway, it’s actually easier to deal with
a crosswind - touch down and roll out crabbed. This
is true for both tailwheel and nosewheel landing gear.

99.9% of pilots have never seen crosswind landing
gear on a taildragger - and never will - but I mention
it for completeness.

Pop quiz: name a large aircraft with crosswind landing
gear.  Hint: not a taildragger.

[JW Scud]

[quote author=John Swallow link=topic=9402.msg25978#msg25978 date=1544070840]

I have used the angled take-off procedure in wind conditions that aerodynamic control alone would not allow a standard take-off. 

I have used an angled-landing procedure in wind conditions that aerodynamic control alone would not allow for a standard approach and landing. 

In both cases, if there had been other options, one would have been selected.

However, "needs must..."
[/quote]

Did you do this arcing procedure?

[Tailwind W10]

[quote author=Colonel Sanders link=topic=9402.msg25979#msg25979 date=1544123026]
Pop quiz: name a large aircraft with crosswind landing
gear.  Hint: not a taildragger.
[/quote]

Not the same mechanism as the Goodyear crosswind gear for light airplanes, but the B-52 certainly qualifies

https://i.stack.imgur.com/NykHM.jpg

Gerry