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Landing on ice - 70° crosswind


Ed Cesnalis

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I get to land before they plow the runway in the mornings and powder snow landings are a treat.

Yesterday it was ice and a 12kt / 70° crosswind.  I kept it pointed down the runway but could not counter the drift.  Good thing I landed on the upwind side it gave me the room to drift that I needed.

Mammoth Yosemite Airport.jpg

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I always thought landing on ice was a lot of fun.  I taught it as the "hocky puck" theory.  Does not matter which way you are pointed, you are going to "slide"  in the direction of your energy at touchdown.  Brakes won't work and rudder won't work, only positive thrust will get you back on track.  This should stimulate some discussion.

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1 hour ago, Duane Jefts said:

I always thought landing on ice was a lot of fun.  I taught it as the "hocky puck" theory.  Does not matter which way you are pointed, you are going to "slide"  in the direction of your energy at touchdown.  Brakes won't work and rudder won't work, only positive thrust will get you back on track.  This should stimulate some discussion.

As I said, powder snow is fun, ice is more interesting.  

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Ed, have you had to abort and go back up when Xwinds were more than you thought?  I know I can just bring on power and immediately go back up with full flaps here in the flat land.  Can you do this at your elevations?  There's a lot of ice'd over lakes here but one never knows if there will be a pressure ridge or unseen crack.  I don't attempt lake landings in the winter but it is tempting.  Lots of room to "drift".

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We land on the ice in a backwater of the Mississippi where we have a vacation home. It’s a lot of fun. When the ice is bare and wet and obviously very slick, you have to throttle up to get rudder authority and turn the AC in the opposite direction to get stopped. If the ice is dry or  has a bit of snow on it, it’s not a problem getting stopped at all. 

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2 hours ago, Scrapman1959 said:

We land on the ice in a backwater of the Mississippi where we have a vacation home. It’s a lot of fun. When the ice is bare and wet and obviously very slick, you have to throttle up to get rudder authority and turn the AC in the opposite direction to get stopped. If the ice is dry or  has a bit of snow on it, it’s not a problem getting stopped at all. 

Let's see now ?? Landing on ice to get to your vacation home!!  My idea of getting to a vacation home is landing on a beach or lake that is not frozen.

Seriously, sounds like a lot of fun landing on the  backwater.  Enjoy your winter get away.  I used to live in Mich so Tucson is my idea of a winter get away.

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