As I understand it after reading an account with still pictures a few years
ago, the 747 was not a 'cross wind' issue.

It was a landing at the old Kai Tak airport, and the pilot had overshot
the 'dog leg' turn to get on to finals. Captain decided that he could land
it anway, and did so. Airmanship to get into that position in the first
place 0 out of 10, but a good recovery! Who would have thunk a 747 could
manouvre like that! From memory, just after the video stops, the 747 skidded
and tipped with its outboard engine hitting the ground. Obviously
frightening for those on board. Seemed to recall that all survived, though I
don't know if anybody was injured. Don't know what happened to the captain.

Take a look at the windsock at about 3 seconds in, bottom right. It does
not look very windy!

Cheers to all, and if anybody else can confirm or otherwise the above then
please do so. It was some years ago that I read about it.

Chris


"Jack Harrison" wrote in message
...

"Mike Tullett" wrote in message
...
My son has just shown me this site. It has many small videos of
aircraft.
Here are a couple showing landings is strong cross winds - scary stuff!!

http://www.flightlevel350.com/picwin...cat=19&pic=116

http://www.flightlevel350.com/picwin...cat=19&pic=152

I can reassure you all that I NEVER did landings as bad as either of those
two.

And to clear up a misunderstanding.
The rudder is not used for taxiing - but see below.
(except perhaps in some very old aircraft - modern ones have hydraulic
nose wheel steering)

The main purpose of the rudder is to balance the aircraft, in particular
when the thrust is asymmetric, eg following an engine failure.

In cross wind landing, it is routine in many aircraft (including those I
used to fly) to bank the aircraft into wind. However, banking an aircraft
makes it turn. You don't want to turn while landing, so cross controls
are used to counteract the turn that would be caused by banking, ie
opposite (top) rudder is used. So: wind from the right, right wing down,
left rudder applied. In gusty conditions, frequent small changes of
rudder amount are often required BUT CAUTION NOT TO OVERDO IT - that broke
and Airbus in the air a year or two ago.

After touching down on (eg) the right hand set of wheels, you lower the
other side to the ground meanwhile keeping it straight with the rudder.
Indeed, in any landing, cross wind or not, the aircraft is initially kept
straight by rudder but control transferred to nosewheel steering at an
appropriate speed, eg 70 - 80 knots. In some aircraft, the control locks,
including rudder, are then engaged so the rudder might not be able to be
moved at all at taxiing speeds - not that you would want to anyway.

Cross wind landings do require co-ordination and a degree of skill.
Perhaps, most important of all is to know your own and the aircraft's
limitations. I suspect that in both those clips, the pilot was distinctly
unwise. It is hard to know the precise weather and wind conditions, but I
would suspect that the wind was very close to (or even above) the
aircraft's crosswind limits. I even wonder if the Airbus Captain kept his
job and certainly I would have expected the 747 pilot to undergo refresher
training. But to be fair, I do not know the full story. For all I know,
that Airbus might have been doing pilot training without passengers.

Jack (retired airline captain)