Flight Investigation of Piloting Techniques and Crosswind Limitations Using a Research-Type Crosswind Landing Gear

摘要

A research-type crosswind landing gear was tested by NASA in a flight program which used a light STOL transport in strong crosswind conditions. This study was a con¬tinuation of an earlier program which used the same airplane with conventional, tricycle landing gear. The research-type crosswind landing gear used in the pres¬ent program enabled the airplane to land in crosswinds up to a magnitude of 25 to 30 knots. In the previous program, landings were accomplished in crosswind magni-tudes only up to 15 to 20 knots. Three modes of landing-gear operation were inves¬tigated: preset, automatic, and castor (passive self-alignment). Actual test data and histograms are given for the 195 VFR crosswind landings made for this program.