The Operating Environment

 

Many of us who fly understand the risks associated with flying in adverse conditions. Actually, I would say all of us. Those who fly and those who don't. But it's important to be acquainted with the factors that make an aircraft unstable in these conditions and what is it exactly that is creating the dangerous effect to understand how to predict and avoid it. 



Wind is, at it's simplest, moving air. After all this is what aircraft are designed to do, this is how a plane becomes airborne in the first place, circulating air. However wind is not always a planes best friend. According to the Pilots Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, wind at it's worst has the capacity to rapidly change the performance and disrupt the flight attitude. Crosswind landings, especially for general aviation can be a dangerous feat. 

There is a maximum crosswind component for every aircraft from ultralight to major airliners, which lists the maximum demonstrated crosswind in which a pilot has landed, but as pilots we should generally stay well below the component to minimize the risk of damage and injury. However crosswind poses an even greater risk when combined with turbulence and gusts during an approach to landing, making the threshold for gaining control of the aircraft a lot smaller. The plane may also be susceptible to weathervaning in these conditions.  

Luckily, runways at most airports are oriented so that the pilot can land into or roughly into the wind, with some even having "crosswind runways" for times in which there's significant crosswind. However it is important to be very comfortable with the "go around" procedure in the event of severe wind interference during landing, as sudden gusts or turbulence can be virtually unpredictable until they happen. Situational awareness, weather briefings and a "plan b", can minimize this risk. 

Below are some examples of crosswind landings during a wind storm, with multiple missed approaches:













Reference:

Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge. (2016, August 24). Retrieved January 31, 2022, from https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation/phak/ 


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