I didn’t know they did that. Funny thing is, I’ve seen planes fly over gowing 45 degrees off, but never thought they’d land like that. Always thought they used runways going different directions. Wow.

- The Cat

MirCat on March 4, 2008 at 5:43 PM

Winds can be notoriously unscrupulous about complying with the fixed concrete of a runway. Lots of airfields only have one runway, which limits you to two landing directions. Even two perpendicular runways will still have up to a 45% crosswind potential. The star pattern airfield is a relic of the past, when unlimited funds and land were available. While they do perform a wind survey before they decide what direction the runway should point, the infrequent wind gust can cause a crosswind condition.

Besides, it’s not so much the direction of the wind as the crosswind component of that wind that matters…the force trying to push you off centerline. A wind that’s 90 degrees off center at 5 knots is no big deal…but a 30 degree wind at 40 knots is significant. This is why surface gusts are so bad…it causes an unpredictable change in the forces acting on the aircraft at a critical phase of flight.

Additionally, changing what runway is active at a busy airport is a major undertaking.

Might have to go look it up then, I guess..

- The Cat

That video is a great example of why Boeing put landing gear on the B-52 that aligns with the runway when landing in a crosswind. There is no need to go through risky maneuvers to align the landing gear with the centerline.

Helloyawl on March 4, 2008 at 1:09 PM

Well, they had to compensate for leaving off the ailerons somehow!

Too subtle? (Check out the puppy clip posts.)

James on March 4, 2008 at 3:54 PM

Sorry, didn’t catch the sarcasm/puppy-parallel there. You got me.

James on March 4, 2008 at 2:28 PM

Good God? Truthers on Hot Air?

Check the news links, the video is real and recent.

pecan pie on March 4, 2008 at 3:40 PM

Too subtle? (Check out the puppy clip posts.)

Nice flyin’ Maxi! You saved all those lives onboard. Someone buy that lady a Bitberger!

Tony737 on March 4, 2008 at 3:07 PM

Maxi was the young co-pilot that attempted the landing, but the older 39 year-old pilot took over the abort. I’m not sure who made the final, successful landing, but I’m betting it was the pilot.

Even though it sounded like a real plane in distress, I didn’t hear it squeal when the wingtip first hit. And look how stiff it appeared…there was no motion at all of the landing gear throughout the entire video.

Sorry, folks…due to the number of realistic looking airplane models out there, I’m going to have to call this a fake. But the pilots should be punished anyway for making Lufthansa look bad.

James on March 4, 2008 at 2:28 PM

Check the news links, the video is real and recent.

Or a gun!

dmann on March 4, 2008 at 3:23 PM

Oh yeah… forgot about open season on the L.A. freeway

Or a gun!

There’s nothing like a late-for-his-pitch-meeting producer, driving a Lincoln Navigator, blabbing on his cell phone and cutting into your lane without warning to make you find Jesus.

Nice flyin’ Maxi! You saved all those lives onboard. Someone buy that lady a Bitberger!

Thanks for the info. There is too much pressure applied by management/customers on flight crews to meet schedules. Aviation history is littered with tragic accidents that are directly attributable to this, even though the formal investigations typically fault crew judgment.

I say “OH SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT”!

Thank God I’ve never been on one of those!

He must’ve diverted to another city when he climbed back out again, as mentioned above, that airport should’ve been closed.

This is why all planes oughta have rotating landing gear like on a B-52.