A crosswind landing intimidates new students more than almost any other maneuver, but it is just a normal landing with one added job: keeping the airplane tracking straight down the runway while the wind tries to push it sideways. Two techniques do this, the crab method and the wing-low sideslip, and most pilots blend them. Knowing your personal crosswind limits is as important as the technique itself.
Part of our Flight Maneuvers guide. This page is educational and is not a substitute for instruction from a certificated flight instructor.
The problem a crosswind creates
When the wind is not aligned with the runway, it pushes the airplane sideways, off the centerline. If you simply point the nose down the runway, you will drift downwind. The whole task of a crosswind landing is to cancel that drift so the airplane both tracks the centerline and touches down with its longitudinal axis aligned with the runway, with no side load on the landing gear.
The crab method
In the crab method you turn the nose into the wind just enough that the airplane’s ground track stays aligned with the runway centerline, while the wings stay level. The airplane flies down final pointed slightly into the wind, like a boat crabbing across a current. This is comfortable and coordinated on the approach, but the airplane is not aligned with the runway. Just before touchdown you must remove the crab, usually with rudder, so the nose swings straight before the wheels touch.
The wing-low (sideslip) method
In the wing-low, or sideslip, method you lower the upwind wing into the wind and use opposite rudder to keep the nose aligned with the runway. The airplane is in a steady slip: banked into the wind, but tracking straight down the centerline with the fuselage aligned with the runway. The advantage is that the airplane is already aligned for touchdown, so there is no last-second correction. You hold the slip through the roundout and touch down on the upwind main wheel first.
Transition to touchdown
However you fly the approach, the touchdown is the same: the upwind main wheel touches first, then the downwind main, then the nosewheel, with the airplane aligned with the runway and no sideways drift. As you slow during rollout, keep adding aileron into the wind, eventually to full deflection, to keep the upwind wing from lifting. The classic rule is to “fly the airplane until it is tied down.” Many pilots crab down final and transition to a wing-low slip in the last few hundred feet, blending both methods.
Crosswind component and your personal limits
The crosswind component is the part of the wind blowing across the runway, which depends on both wind speed and its angle to the runway. A direct 90-degree wind is entirely crosswind; a wind 30 degrees off the runway contributes only about half its speed as crosswind. Your airplane’s documentation lists a maximum demonstrated crosswind component, the value a test pilot demonstrated. It is not a legal limit, but it is a strong reference. Just as important is your own personal minimum, the crosswind you are currently comfortable and proficient handling. As a student, build that limit up gradually with your instructor.
| Wind angle to runway | Approximate crosswind component |
|---|---|
| 30 degrees | About half the wind speed |
| 45 degrees | About 70 percent of the wind speed |
| 60 degrees | About 90 percent of the wind speed |
| 90 degrees | Essentially all of the wind speed |
Putting it together
Crosswind landings reward the same fundamentals as any normal landing: a stabilized approach, the right airspeed, and a fixed aiming point, plus active wind correction all the way to a stop. If the crosswind exceeds your comfort or the runway demands more than you can give, choosing another runway or a go-around is always the safe option.
Study tools
What you'll need
The FAA handbooks that teach the maneuvers, all from PilotMall.com.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the crab and wing-low methods?
In the crab method you point the nose into the wind with wings level to track the centerline, then straighten the nose just before touchdown. In the wing-low method you lower the upwind wing and hold opposite rudder so the airplane is already aligned, touching down on the upwind main wheel first.
Which crosswind technique should I use?
Many pilots blend them, crabbing down final and transitioning to a wing-low slip in the last few hundred feet. Both are acceptable, and your instructor will help you build a method that works for you and your airplane.
What is the maximum demonstrated crosswind component?
It is the crosswind value a test pilot demonstrated during certification, listed in your airplane’s documentation. It is a strong reference rather than a legal limit, and your own personal minimum should be set by your current proficiency.
Which wheel touches down first in a crosswind?
The upwind main wheel touches first, then the downwind main, then the nosewheel, with the airplane aligned with the runway and no sideways drift.