Comments on: Scary Aborted Landing

By: Miguel Correia

Miguel Correia — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 12:47:41 +0000

It was no ex-USN pilot. At the very most, it could have been an ex-FAP pilot (Força Aérea Portuguesa), as the plane belongs to SATA – Air Azores, the Portuguese Airline based at the Azores islands. This was most probably in the islands, as the accent of the people overheard sounds like from that place.

It was not necessarily a training flight as there is no such a thing as “crosswind limit” for aircraft. What manufacturers publish is a “crosswind maximum *demonstrated*”. It just means their test pilots didn’t get to test in higher crosswinds than the published ones, but it does not forbid landing with higher ones.

The pilot did not push the envelop. The technique is to crab until just before touchdown and then line the plane with runway and land. Small plane pilots even go further to land with cross-controls (plane rolled to the side of the wind, so it doesn’t drift to the other side of the runway, and rudder to the opposite side, so it keeps parallel to the runway). He went around at a perfectly safe time to do so.

By: Thekeeper

Thekeeper — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 14:55:31 +0000

Actually a old B52 could have greased it in pretty as a picture. They have undercarriages that can turn for wicked crosswind landings. Almost to the point that the pilot is looking over his shoulder to make the landing.

By: Rich

Rich — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 18:39:49 +0000

I’ve seen a dozen videos like this with planes struggling with crosswinds on landing. They are all recent videos. Could it be global warming? Hmmmm.

By: Miguel

Miguel — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 18:03:50 +0000

Pilots often do this first approach to scare away rabbits and other rodents that might otherwise be sucked into the jets.

In this case, however, the pilot was commemorating the 20th anniversary of his wedding. His wife was in the plane, of course.

By: bobbo

bobbo — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 17:39:44 +0000

How many good folks here can keep in mind the difference between “safe” and “right on the edge?”

As a passenger, do you want to land “right on the edge” risking your life, or do you want the airline to go to the alternate landing site or circle for awhile if they have the gas?

Safety DEMANDS that the decision to go around be made at altitude.

BTW–no airline pilot lands “on the edge” very often so such landings are always dangerous. An act of cowardice rather than skill.

By: heehee

heehee — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 17:29:24 +0000

The abort was likely because he was too far down the runway – not enough runway left to land on, and complete a safe roll.

Looks like he was very good. Most commercial pilots are outstanding – and they don’t want to die.

All you back seat pilots should avoid looking out the window on takeoff and landing.

By: tokabowla

tokabowla — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 16:05:29 +0000

#18
Because the carrier just turns itself into the wind.
Cookie please…

By: bb

bb — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 15:31:55 +0000

#16 – ah yes. Reminds me of the Navy expression, “There are two ways to do dangerous things, not at all or all the time.” One should never occasionally do dangerous things, either get experienced at it (while still being aware that it is dangerous) or never do it.

Landing on an aircraft carrier and cross-wind landings on land qualify.

Exercise for the student: Why no cross-wind landings on an aircraft carrier?

By: Marc Perkel

Marc Perkel — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 15:16:20 +0000

Hell of a pilot. Smart enough to know how to land in a crosswind and smart enough to know when not to.

By: amodedoma

amodedoma — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 14:43:20 +0000

Pilot showed excellent skill and judgement. Probrably ex USN with lots of carrier landing experience.

By: Paddy-O

Paddy-O — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 14:39:04 +0000

# 14 soundwash said, “believe most modern jetliner’s undercarriage have the ability to land in these conditions. the landing gear turns to align with the runway when you come in with nasty x-winds..”

Umm, no. You’re thinking of the B52.

By: soundwash

soundwash — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 14:10:47 +0000

iirc…i believe most modern jetliner’s undercarriage have the ability to land in these conditions. the landing gear turns to align with the runway when you come in with nasty x-winds.. that looked a bit outside the the technologist ability. to say the least..

i’d say that plane defiantly had a a serious case of the crabs.. :p (its called crabbing iirc.)

aside: wasn’t the B-52 the first to utilize this tech? (correct me if i’m wrong, plz.)

-s

By: Paddy-O

Paddy-O — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 13:47:56 +0000

Must have been training. The x-winds were higher than the upper limit allowed for landings.

By: Nimby

Nimby — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 11:43:41 +0000

Well, I certainly didn’t inconvenience as many people in my single engine planes but I’ve crabbed many a crosswind landing. The most fun was ages ago at Prescott, Arizona where the wind comes down off the mountain across the runway. Even better, the runway is built on top of a plateau meaning all you see is a cliff face on approach and then it dips in the middle giving lots of optical illusions when you crab a landing. Fun.

By: Badcam

Badcam — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 08:36:54 +0000

I believe that I’ve been through this experience. We were coming into Buenos Aires at just before midnight. There was some severe weather and the pilot made six attempts to land and was successful on the sixth, thank goodness. People were very scared on that flight, I can tell you.