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Crosswind Takeoff

The aim of this exercise is to teach controlled takeoffs in moderate winds up to 30 degrees off the centre line of the runway. The student must develop the skills to remain lined up with the tow plane when flying down the runway. This will be necessary to avoid obstructions on narrow runways, and to avoid the dangers of straying to far off of the path that the towplane is following.  Students should have a good understanding of the sideslip and crab before undertaking crosswind takeoffs or landings. The outline for this exercise is:

  1. Student checked on knowledge of wind direction and speed. Instructor confirms actual conditions.
  2. Student coached to keep the wing into the wind down, and use rudder to yaw the glider to counteract the tendency to turn in the direction of the wing that is down.
  3. Instructor coaches the transition from the sideslip manoeuvre to coordinated flight once the aircraft is well clear of the ground.

These exercises are best started with the takeoff since there is more time to discuss the upcoming event.  Relate this manoeuvre to the sideslip to control drift, which should have been covered earlier. Most students will have been briefed on this skill and have seen it demonstrated early in their flight training even if they did not practise it.

The crosswind takeoff is described as lowering the into wind wing and using enough opposite rudder to prevent yawing off the centre line of the runway. Once this balance is achieved, the glider can track straight down the runway behind the tow plane (which is doing a similar manoeuvre). The crosswind takeoff usually requires more exaggerated control inputs at the beginning, leading to less control input as the aircraft picks up speed. Again, as with the sideslip, we are correcting our ground path. Once we are airborne the sideslip is unnecessary and normal co-ordinated flight can be entered.