Originally Posted by
CheeseWagstaff
I guess this as good a place as any to ask about techniques in the modern 74.
Would any current pilots and IPs care to chime in about crosswind technique?
I know that wing-low technique to counteract crosswinds, beyond 3 or 4 degrees, is asking for trouble in the 74. I understand there's a risk of dragging a pod.
When there's a very strong, or gusting crosswind, how would you say you handle this from a technique standpoint?
My experience so far is that the significant flare in this airplane generally begins at the "30" feet call or below.
In most cases with a strong crosswind, would one be best served to flare normally and then squeeze out the crab at around 10 feet? When, in general terms, is it too early or too late to de-crab the 400 or -8?
Is it generally necessary to apply an agressive, sub-1-second downwind rudder application, or is it generally slower, like a 1-2-3 count application? Do you find yourself going to full-deflection of rudder in the worst-case crosswind scenarios?
I assume there's still some necessary cross-controlling and slight wing-low upwind aileron at touchdown so that the upwind wing doesn't rise in the de-crab. How fast/aggressive is the yoke application after touchdown to prevent the upwind wing from rising while ensuring that the airplane isn't accidentally rolled onto the upwind inboard pod?
To what extent does a nasty crosswind influence your power reduction timing going into roundout and flare?
I know this seems like a lot of nitpicky questioning, but I'd like to hear the experiences of many others rather than just figure it out on my own when the stakes are a bit higher.
I hope other new or inexperienced whale pilots can benefit from any answers this gets as well.
My preference is to de-crab just before touchdown, while rolling a few degrees of wing into the wind. Better to de-crab too late than too early. Much, much better. The airplane can take landing in a crab much better than it can take random flailing around and sideways drift. So the 10' call is not too late to do it.
Pod strikes can and have happened on both the upwind and downwind pod, so don't be paranoid about a few degrees into the wind -- much better to do that than have the wing lift.
Many pilots like to carry power into the flare. I do not, especially if carrying wind additives. Better, IMO, to get it off and the get the airplane on the ground and the spoilers UP.
Keep all of your tracking errors to the upwind side of the runway. You don't want to be off centerline on the downwind side in the flare. Off centerline, downwind side and drifting is a good time to go-around.
With high crosswind components remember that the gear is way behind you, so your eyeballs should be tacking on the upwind side. Some guys recommend lining the cockpit up on the upwind runway edge lights. That is, IMO, overkill; but only slightly so. See my earlier comment about error-ring on the upwind side.
After touchdown use whatever rudder is needed to keep the airplane tracking the centerline. You are not done flying the thing until it is on the taxiway.
Don't overthink it, just fly it. And don't be timid about it. Most of the time the guys who get into trouble are the ones who quit flying it when the main gear touches down.
And your best source of information for things like this is always the Boeing Flight Crew Training Manual.
Source - 19 years on the airplane. No Training Center time, just flying the line.