Crosswinds Explained: They Aren’t As Bad As They Look [Video]
Despite the presence of media outlets hyping plane crashes air travel is still one of the safest, fastest and most regulated ways to travel, however that doesn’t make watching videos of planes in action any less scary.
Take for example a recently posted YouTube video which shows pilots at Düsseldorf International Airport in Germany attempting to land airplanes in extremely strong crosswinds:
As a veteran flier my heart still jumps a beat when landing into heavy winds however a pilot recently explained to CNN that the actual practice of flying and then landing in crosswinds really isn’t a big worry for pilots. As captain Daniel Fahl explains:
“It’s not really dangerous. It just requires the utmost of your training to kick in.”
He goes on to add:
“It does look dramatic, but that’s just because the airplanes are so susceptible to the wind. But that’s how they’re designed. They’re designed to be weather vanes that point into the wind.”
Ironically when aboard an aircraft the landing typically looks normal, even in heavy crosswinds. The pilots on the other hand often seen out of their side windows as they ballet the plane towards a safe landing.
Ironically crosswind landings are often the softest because they allow for “cushioned touchdown.”
In most cities crosswinds are nowhere near as strong as shown in the video above, just remember the next time you have to travel by airplane that the very crosswinds that might freak you out on video are actually some of the softest landings you’ll experience.
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James Johnson James is a new media professional with more than half a decade worth of experience in the online writing space. He currently serves as the Associate Editor of Inquisitr.com and the Editor-in-Chief of SocialNewsDaily.com. He also serves as a resident writer for Splash Press Media. In his spare time James consults businesses regarding SEO and Content Development.
