There were some spectacular landings and take-offs during the recent storm Ali which battered the British Isles.
This video taken by flugsnug was shot at Birmingham Airport.
Typically, aircraft land and take-off into the wind to decrease the landing or take-off distance.
In some cases, aircraft land or take-off with a slight down-wind component – typically associated with noise sensitive airports where one runway is preferred over another.
Where a pilot faces a crosswind landing or take-off they need to point the aircraft in the direction of the wind while maintaining a straight course toward the runway or on the runway.
This is called crabbing or yawing.
In strong crosswinds, the pilot may also dip the wing – sideslip – into the direction of the wind for the landing.
Just before touch down pilots apply rudder to bring the plane – and its undercarriage – back so it is aligned straight down the centerline of the runway.
This takes great skill and the results –if not done properly – are often quite spectacular as shown in the video.
Tropical storm Ali, which started life in the mid-Atlantic and veered north-east toward Europe and not the USA wreaked havoc in the UK and Ireland early this month.
Several people were killed and a number required hospital treatment as Ali battered the British Isles.
Tens of thousands lost power, roads were blocked and there was travel chaos with train services were canceled.
And burning rubber! As if 44 mph gusts weren’t enough, the wind direction kept changing. Just watch the windsocks on the right side of the airfield in this video and the other two
