Don't be shy

My airport is well-known for dishing up crosswinds that keep even certificated pilots on our toes. During the ground portion of the exam, I may point to the windsock that indicates wind from the southeast and ask the applicant if there is any special technique he’ll use. I am gratified to hear him explain that, on using Runway 25 for takeoff, he’ll deflect ailerons to the left and use as much rudder as necessary to keep the airplane moving straight along the centerline. So often though, after announcing our departure, I brace myself as he applies full throttle, and we commence the takeoff roll with ailerons neutral. At best, it’s a sloppy takeoff; at worst, I take the controls before we careen beyond the runway edge. In that case, the ride ends early with a notice of disapproval.

Either way, we chat about crosswind techniques during the debrief back in the FBO. Sometimes it’s just nerves; other times it becomes clear that his flight instructor hasn’t impressed the importance of correcting for crosswinds. And they’ve simply been lucky to have remained on the runway during their sloppy departures.

But over the years, I’ve learned that the culprit can be control shyness that emanates from fear of overcontrolling the airplane. Such extreme control deflections during takeoff and landing can seem counterintuitive. After all, at altitude in my airplanes, rotating the yoke fully to the left or right will invert the airplane in just a couple of seconds. (These are acrobatic airplanes so please take my word for this and don’t try it at home!) It stands to reason that such large control deflections, especially on or near the ground, seem just plain wrong. Let’s review why pilots shouldn’t be shy with their ailerons during takeoff.

Control surfaces, like the ailerons and rudder, gain effectiveness that is proportional to the square of the speed with which air moves across them. So, during cruise flight, pilots should deflect them smoothly. But that relationship also means that the controls have no effect when there is little to no flow across them. Throughout the takeoff roll—from a stop to climb away from the airport—it’s important to have a solid plan for effective use of the ailerons.

Control surfaces, like the ailerons and rudder, gain effectiveness that is proportional to the square of the speed with which air moves across them. So, during cruise flight, pilots should deflect them smoothly.Suppose an airplane lines up on the centerline of a runway for departure with a crosswind from the left. The wind will naturally push the aircraft to the right side of the runway but if there is sufficient friction between the tires and the ground, the aircraft will stay on the centerline. The pilot can use enough right rudder to keep the airplane tracking along the runway centerline. As the aircraft gains speed and the ailerons have greater effect, the pilot eases the yoke toward, but not reaching, the neutral position. With sufficient aileron deflection at rotation, the nose wheel will come off the ground, followed by the right main wheel. Once the third wheel leaves the runway, the pilot can convert from the slip to coordinated flight using a crab to maintain flight along the extended runway centerline. But this isn’t the only way to compensate for a crosswind.

Alternatively, the pilot can ease more of the aileron deflection out (still not neutral) so that both main wheels leave the runway at the same time. In this case, the pilot relies more heavily on the friction between the tires and the runway to maintain directional control. This means, though, that the pilot rotates with a higher speed so it’s not the better crosswind technique for soft or unimproved landing strips since the airplane stays on the ground longer.

Most general aviation airplanes, with a nosewheel up front, will self-correct (up to a point) for sloppy piloting. Perhaps you’re not confident that you’ve found and mastered an appropriate crosswind takeoff technique. If so, training in a tailwheel airplane may be just the thing to shore up your skills and master one of the above techniques.

Because the center of gravity is behind the main wheels in a tailwheel aircraft, any yawing motion away from the runway centerline tends to continue. So, it’s important for the pilot to correct for even the smallest deviations quickly. If you’ve seen a Piper Cub or Aeronca Champ during its takeoff or landing roll, the rudder constantly wagging back and forth shows the kind of attention that is necessary to maintain directional control. Without such mastery, a ground loop, and date at the repair shop, may well be in order.

Early in my own flying career, it felt weird to impose extreme control deflections during my takeoff roll. But reminding myself of aileron aerodynamics helped me overcome my own control shyness. Earning my tailwheel endorsement not only made that lesson hit home but it was some of the most fun I’ve had in an airplane.