Friday, February 1, 2008
Great piloting skills
Have you ever been in a plane that's had to land in a storm or very strong crosswind? I have, on a couple of occasions - the sort of landings that cure your constipation once and for all.
Here's video shot a few days ago at Leeds-Bradford Airport in England. The aircraft is an Embraer ERJ 145, similar to many flying in the US today, and it's trying to get down in a 50 mph crosswind. Apparently many aircraft diverted from that airport to others that day because their pilots found it too difficult. This pilot, however, nailed it - beautiful flying.
Warning - don't watch this if you suffer from motion sickness! Note that despite the aircraft's heading, pointing as if it's flying past the camera position, it's actually approaching head-on. That's the wind effect!
Peter
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6 comments:
Wow!!!
Looks like the standard approach to any airport in the Great Plains in March :) He did a beautiful job, especially when he hit what seems to be a shear layer (where he pitched up, then recovered). Jets are trickier than props because you can't change the engine power as quickly, so you have to anticipate that much more. I'd fly with him!
LittleRed1
There are two common methods to land in a cross-wind---crabbing, like this pilot did, and slipping.
Most larger aircraft use crabbing because that usually maintains level flight until just at touchdown. This guy looks like he crabbed almost 45 degrees off his forward path! Wow!
As a passenger, its a bit unsettling to see the runway you are supposed to be landing on, outside your window....
Woah! I have no idea what that pilot is paid, but he durn sure earned his money on THAT fine day.
I used to see a LOT of crosswind landings when I lived in El Paso and hung out at the airport a lot. But most of those were really light aircraft - - Pipers, early model Cessna 100-series, Beechcraft and the odd Stinson, Taylorcraft, and Aeronca. I don't think I ever saw a large aircraft crab that much on landing. Need I say, when I was a kid, there WERE no light jet transports?
Good vidclip.
Fine bit of piloting, indeed. I'd just about bet (s)he has some glider experience.
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