On a crosswind landing, you're going to touch down in line with the runway and with a wing low.  On your approach, you're going to be crabbed into the wind so you track the runway heading.  I wait until I cross the end of the runway, just before the round-out and flare to get the crab in and the wing down.  As an example, lets say the wind is from the left.  You will approach the runway with the nose pointed to the left of the runway enough to fly down the extended centerline.  As you get close to the flare, you'll want to point the nose of the airplane down the runway centerline using the rudder.  Since doing that will cause you to drift to the right, you'll have to roll to the left to stop moving relative to the runway and you'll want to hold the rudder and aileron in until you touch down.  Flare with the elevator like you normally do.  Since your touching down rolled to the left slightly, you'll touch down with the left wheel first, then the right wheel, and finally the nose wheel.  As the airplane settles on the runway, you'll want to slowly ease the rudder out so you don't touch the nosewheel down and go shooting off the side of the runway and you'll also want to slowly roll the aileron all the way to the left so any gusts don't flip the aircraft over as you're slowing down.  That should be about it.  Landing with a crosswind in FS is a bit tricky, but it can be done.

snippyfsxer wrote on Dec 11^th, 2009 at 11:18pm:


This idea of "kicking out" something creates a mental stumbling-block...
In a crab, you are wings-level and rudder centered. It's coordinated level flight at an angle that allows you to track the centerline despite the wind. Transitioning to what is effectively a sideslip does require applying a little rudder and lowering the upwind wing somewhat, but you're not kicking anything. All you're doing is using aileron for directional control and using rudder to align the nose the way you want it relative to your path, just as you would in any mode of flight. The amount of aileron and rudder may be very slight, also, but as Mobius points out, if you don't lower one wing slightly you are going to drift downwind (relative to the centerline). And you want to have the nose aligned with the runway as much as possible.
You can also sideslip all the way down on final... neither method is more likely or unlikely to succeed, and it's mostly a matter of preference. Some people don't like to have to hold uncoordinated inputs (rudder deflecting opposite the ailerons) for such a long period, others don't like to transition from a crab to a sideslip at the last moment. The bottom line, though, is that you will have to touch down in a sideslip, whatever amount is needed so that the drifting effect of the wind is negated by the airplane's sideways motion into the wind. And you'd better have the nose aligned with the runway, or at least with your actual path through the air... some airplanes are more tolerant of this than others, but the goal is to not side-load the mains if you can help it, or to veer off the edge of the runway as soon as all wheels are down.

I can't explain why most MSFS models are harder to land in x-winds than in real life; clearly the flight dynamics are not quite there even with the best models. It's similar to how most FS models will weathervane  (try to point into the wind) even in flight, if the winds aloft change direction. This is not quite what happens in real life, and they certainly don't weathervane on the runway in light winds the way they do in FS! they certainly will weathervane, some more than others, but a Cessna 172 for example, with all 3 wheels on the ground, is not going to be difficult to steer down the centerline because of wind. The nosewheel's friction and the fact that the CG is forward of the mains helps a great deal with that... in real life.

But of course there are reasonable limits, in real life as in sim flying... sometimes you just cannot bank enough to stop the drift, and/or use enough opposite rudder to keep going straight as you touch down. And sometimes you just cannot safely roll out or taxi in a crosswind. It depends, ultimately, on the velocity and direction of the wind.

Brett_Henderson wrote on Dec 12^th, 2009 at 9:07am:
Wonderfully well - between the lights is my criteria.  Wing down to keep from going sideways along with enough opposite rudder to keep you aimed at the runway.  A little more power 'cause you're cross controlled then, as you flare, let it all swing back to normal and continue with the ailerons into the wind after you hit.

I have been told one reason to do the "kick out" method instead of slipping all the way down is passenger comfort.  Passengers don't seem to notice crabbing, but the aircraft side slipping is noticeable.

DaveSims wrote on Dec 12^th, 2009 at 2:02pm:


Yeah.. those pesky passengers .. 

What I've found though.. is that passengers are less squeemish about a slip, than they are about seeing the runway out the side window 

C wrote on Dec 12^th, 2009 at 2:06pm:
Those lousy airport designers - they make them look so attractive  .

If anyone likes my trim tutorial (which is uploading now and SimTeeVee's taking *#$%@!! forever about it!) my next project is going to be a crosswind tute - 'cause I get to play with my Citabria. Working on it now.