crosswind/ wheel or threepoint

[chris erasmus]

Hello all fellow maule Pilots. i have spend the past weekend trying to perfect my crosswind technique.
I have tried three pointers, wheel landings and the result was a near disaster every time.
the wind was 12 to 20 kts straight across the runway and neither technique rendered a great result.
what are the recommendations, for crosswind landings, should you go little flaps wheel landings or more flap three point landings
chris
south africa

[ADIRU]

With that sort of crosswind I'd look for a different runway...

[pilot]

With that sort of crosswind, the runway would be very short, but extremely wide.

[TomD]

If you are approaching at 45 kt and there is a 15 kt crosswind your across the ground speed is 30kt if you could get directly into the wind.

How about landing on the diagonal assuming the runway is wide enough. You would cut down on the crosswind component and your stopping distance would be really short.

I would guess with the tailwheel lower you could use more brakes before risking a prop strike, but I will leave that to others.

TD

[chris erasmus]

I hear you all BUT my home airport has runways set up that's always at cross angles to the damn wind, so alas I am always in trouble
Chris

[TomD]

My point is there is no rule that says you have to land down the centerline. Use the width to land diagonally into the wind. Jeremy turned me on to this and it really helps.

[chris erasmus]

ATC won't allow it. Tel you to go find a different airport

[Hottshot]

is ATC in the plane? You are pilot in command. Like others said use the runway as YOU need. I know the rules may be a bit different over there but heck there has to be a way.

[TomD]

"Gee Sir, I must have drifted leeward of the centerline."

TD

[Brenton C]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lxoacmb7zxY

Some of these will scare ya!

[chris erasmus]

the only solution is to move my airplane to a private strip which is what I am going to do. I am sick and tired of ATC who is under the impression that I work for them, or that I owe them something, or that they are doing me a favor.
I really miss the old days in South Africa, when we just got into our planes and flew, and never had to speak to anybody

[Brenton C]

I'm glad to hear you're seeking better digs from where to fly your Maul.

In response to your initial question, the my tail wheel instructor brought my plane in once when the windsock was pretty darn horizontal.

It was a wheel landing with 2notches of flap, up wind wing low on approach with the upwind wheel touching first--then the drama began. He held the tail up as long as possible, ailerons into tje wind, with much pedal dancing, including the occasional use of differential braking and a few blasts of power to keep it straight.

Kinda made me a bit sick, actually.

Maybe there's a better way?

Along these lines, I'm planning to get down to Montana to get some Maule-specific fine tuning with Rick (Geiger--from the forum here) as soon as my passport renewal comes through.

[Loogie]

X-wind in a Maule MX-7-180: zero flaps will give you best control in a x-wind, aileron to keep drift to zero, rudder to keep fuselage aligned with flight path. Flare to a three point attitude but upwind main will land first along with tail, once tail is down you have better directional control, keep the x-wind correction until slowed to a walk...full aft to glue the tail down and give you wheel and aerodynamic control. As you build experience and skills, you can use one notch. If x-wind heavier than 10 knots component I use no flaps or a taxiway:) less than 10 and one notch will help with lower ground speed. The more flaps you use the tougher the x-wind landing. One mans perspective...

I think if you read books on the subject my technique will be pretty close...

[chris erasmus]

thanks for all the input boys It is much appreciated

[Maule_Norway]

I have a different technique in strong crosswind:

- 2 notches of flap. 36 degree?
- Normal approachspeed.
- Keep it going straight at the centerline of course.
- Threepoint landing.
- Touch with the mainwheel facing into the wind first, and make a fully stalled out threepoint landing.
- At once you've touched down, fully retract the flaps. That will make the plane drop dead immediately. It will no way bounce up again if you make a normal landing. And the plane will be stable, no wing wagging etc..

And since you flew the approach with lowest normal approach speed and stalled it completly out you will be able to stop quick unlike with wheel-landing and 0 degree flap landings where speed is higher.
If this fails I'm always ready with the brakes on asphalt. Actually landing with my foot ready onto the brakes.

On grass, it doesn't matter. A totally different aircraft.

This is my opinion anyway