Flight Training Central

MARCH 4, 2024

As the airplane turns onto the following base leg, the tailwind will decrease and becomes a crosswind. The bank angle should be reduced gradually with coordinated aileron and rudder input. The turn from downwind leg to base leg will be more than 90 degrees to compensate for the increasing crosswind.

Groundspeed 52

Groundspeed Crosswind Aileron Rudder 52

Flying Magazine

APRIL 26, 2024

The small aileron “tabs” were not doing a great job in crosswind ability. Left downwind on a blustery day with live weather actually shows a virga burst over the field, with local winds gusting 36 knots, making for some extreme conditions in such a tight canyon. Taking off in violent winds was a task. This was in XP12.

Crosswind 105

Crosswind Weather Knot Aileron 105

Pilot Institute

JULY 12, 2024

Flying at 60 knots? For example, it’s good practice to add a few knots to V-ref when landing in gusty conditions. If you usually land at 50 knots but end up touching down at 55 knots, you might think the landing distance only increases slightly. Keep the ailerons into the wind. Landing in a crosswind?

Descent 52

Descent Weight-Shift-Control Crosswind Runway 52

Pilot Institute

MAY 4, 2024

In the Cessna 172S Pilot’s Operating Handbook (POH), the landing distance decreases by 10% for every 9 knots of headwind. For the Cessna 172, landing distance increases by 10% for every 2 knots of tailwind. For the Cessna 172S, we fly a short-field approach with full flaps at 61 knots. Will you need a crosswind correction?

Weight-Shift-Control 52

Weight-Shift-Control Runway Approach Descent 52

Pilot Institute

MAY 9, 2024

We correct for the overbanking tendency with aileron opposite the turn. The aileron on the right wing deflects down, increasing the camber and creating more lift. The left wing’s aileron deflects up, decreasing lift. For a Cessna 172, the recommended indicated airspeed for the maneuver is 105 knots.

Rudder 52

Rudder Lift Aileron Drag 52

Air Facts

MAY 24, 2024

With a little forward pressure on the yoke, I was able to keep the airplane on the runway to continue picking up airspeed as we arrived at my target of 60 knots for takeoff. As soon as we hit 60 knots indicated, I lightly pulled back on the yoke and the airplane popped right off the ground. No ceiling so no hold for us today!

Aileron 72

Aileron Crosswind Knot Runway 72

Air Facts

JUNE 21, 2024

One time, walking back to the FBO from the airplane after about what seemed like his hundreth dual flight, he turned and asked me “How fast is a knot?” And a knot is 1.15 I don’t think he knew what the ailerons or rudder did. Aileron into the wind, rudder to straighten the nose” also bounced off his doctoral noggin.

Rudder 76

Rudder Crosswind Knot Aileron 76