Watching aircraft landing in strong winds has had something of a renaissance in recent years, with channels like BigJetTV generating a renewed appreciation for the skills of crews landing in strong and gusty winds. What techniques do pilots use to get the aircraft down safely? Let’s take a look.
What actually is a crosswind?
Put very simply, a crosswind is any wind that isn’t blowing straight down the runway. Aircraft perform best when they take off and land into a headwind, whichever runway is pointing nearest into the wind is generally chosen as the active runway at an airport. As the runway will often not be facing directly into the wind, there will be a certain amount of headwind and a certain amount of crosswind. We call these components. There are several ways to calculate a crosswind component which we wont go into, but if you would like to play around with working out the strength of a crosswind, this handy Crosswind Component Calculator from aerotool.com will help you out.
What strength of crosswind can aircraft land in?
Structural crosswind limits for an aircraft type are set by test pilots during certification. Safety factors are then applied to get a more conservative limit in line with the skills of line pilots.
Typical crosswind limits for commercial airliners can range from around 15 to 30 knots (approximately 17 to 34.5 mph or 28 to 55 km/h), depending on the aircraft model. Some larger and more advanced aircraft may have higher crosswind limits due to their advanced flight control systems and design features. Pilots themselves have personal crosswind limits based on their level of experience, it’s one of the reasons why airports like Madeira and Gibraltar are ‘Captain only’ landings in some airlines.
Which airports are known for strong crosswinds?
Whilst a crosswind can occur at any airport, certain conditions mean that some airports are more likely to experience them. Airports with runways across the prevailing wind direction, airports in mountains, valleys and canyons, and airports near the coast are all particularly susceptible to strong crosswinds. Here are a few noteworthy examples.
- Funchal Airport – Madeira, Portugal
A firm flight tracking favorite, Funchal (FNC/LPMA) is well known for having one of the more exciting approaches, particularly when on runway 05, as the airport is located beneath large cliffs that often create turbulence from Atlantic winds and suffers from downdrafts and wind shear. - Cape Town International Airport – South Africa – Cape Town Airport (CPT/FACT) in South Africa can experience strong crosswinds, especially during the summer months when the notorious ’Cape Doctor’ winds blow in from the south.
- Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport – Peru – Cuzco Airport (CUZ/SPZO) is the gateway to the ancient Inca city of Machu Picchu. Its 3,310 meter elevation and the surrounding Andean terrain can lead to challenging crosswind conditions.
- Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport – Canada – Billy Bishop Airport (YTZ/CYTZ) is located on an island in Lake Ontario, near downtown Toronto. It can experience notably strong crosswinds during the winter months when the lake-effect winds come into play.
- St. Maarten Princess Juliana International Airport – St. Maarten – this airport (SXM/TNC) is famous for its low-altitude approach over Maho Beach, where spectators gather to watch aircraft landing and taking off. The proximity to the ocean and the surrounding terrain can lead to strong crosswinds and challenging wind conditions.
How do pilots land in a crosswind?
Crosswind landing methods vary slightly depending on the aircraft type and the pilot’s preference, but these are the typical techniques.
- The Crab Technique – the crab technique is commonly used during the approach phase. As the aircraft approaches the runway, the pilot uses the rudder to point the aircraft’s nose into the wind, counteracting the crosswind and maintaining the desired flight path. This means the aircraft will be angled slightly sideways, or ‘crabbing’ as it comes in for landing. This is the most visible part of a crosswind landing.
- Sideslip or Forward Slip – As the aircraft gets closer to the runway threshold, the pilot may transition from the crab technique to a sideslip or forward slip. In a side slip, the pilot uses both ailerons and rudder to lower one wing and ‘slide’ the aircraft sideways to maintain alignment with the runway centerline. In a forward slip, the pilot uses opposite aileron and rudder inputs, causing the aircraft to descend at an angle toward the runway centerline while keeping the nose pointed straight. This is more commonly used in light aircraft. A sideslip causes an increase in drag and can help you quickly lose altitude. This technique was employed by the pilots landing Air Canada flight 143 (the Gimli Glider) following a dual engine failure in 1983.
Crosswinds on Flightradar24
You can look at the weather conditions and METAR at any listed airport on Flightradar24 by tapping on the airport pin. You can also view runway information, which allows you to figure out if the airport is experiencing crosswinds.
For an even more accurate view, activate the ‘Wind Barbs’ feature in the weather menu. These barbs point in the direction the wind is blowing, and look exactly the same as those on a pilot’s weather briefing. Based on that, we can see that this aircraft has just departed with a crosswind from runway 03 at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport (TLV).
Cover photo: Michel van Bokhoven, JetPhotos
