Three Qantas crosswind landings in Canberra

I saw three Qantas group aircraft perform perfect cross wind landings at Canberra International Airport at around 4pm on 22 August. There was a 25 knot gusts blowing 90 degrees across the runway. Sure, everyone hates Qantas these days. But their pilots are the best in the world. It's a pity that their managers, customer service and baggage handling aren't up to the same standards as the pilots. It is one of the reasons why people don't want to fly Qantas anymore.

I know sweet FA about how to land in a crosswind, so I asked Chat GPT to tell me more:

Approach and Technique: As the A220 approaches the runway, the pilots employ the crab method, angling the aircraft’s nose into the wind to counteract the drift. This technique ensures that the aircraft remains aligned with the runway centerline despite the strong crosswind. The advanced avionics and fly-by-wire system of the A220 provide real-time adjustments, enhancing control and stability.

Transition to Sideslip: Just before touchdown, the pilots smoothly transition from the crab to a sideslip. This involves lowering the upwind wing and applying opposite rudder to keep the aircraft aligned with the runway. The A220’s responsive controls and aerodynamic design make this transition seamless, ensuring a smooth and controlled descent.

Touchdown and Rollout: Upon touchdown, the A220’s robust landing gear absorbs the impact, and the pilots maintain directional control using the rudder and ailerons. The aircraft’s advanced braking system and ground spoilers assist in decelerating and maintaining stability during the rollout. Despite the challenging conditions, the A220 demonstrates its capability to handle crosswind landings with ease.

Continuing Qantas rip-off: You will notice that despite having 10 state of the art passenger gates to chose from, Qantaslink still insists on making Canberra passengers board and depart the aircraft from the tarmac. So your welcome to the nation's capital is always a bit ordinary. Its a lot like turning up in Dubbo, but without the country charm. And here is a month old A220 and they are still treating passengers like mugs by making them stroll across the tarmac. I completely understand why when travelling on an overpriced, clapped out Dash-8 Qantas there was no alternative but to walk onto the place. But this is absurd.



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