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Thread: Bad weather at lhr today (24 January)?
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Old Jan 24, 2018 | 4:29 am
  #5  
florens
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Originally Posted by flatlander
Nasty crosswind:

METAR: EGLL 241050Z AUTO 21020G35KT 6000 -RA SCT011 BKN016 OVC031 13/11 Q1004 TEMPO 3000 +RA BKN008

translated:

Wind 20 kt from the South/Southwest with gusts up to 35 kt

The Heathrow runways are oriented east-west.

By way of comparison, I think the highest demonstrated crosswind on the A320 is gusting up to 38kt. That has been demonstrated by a test pilot. I don't know what BA's limits are, but I also know that it is not always wise to try to be a test pilot every day.
However, this would be a 90 degrees angle. The crosswind component here is lower than the wind speeds shown in the METAR. There is a formula to calculate the component. I don‘t know it by heart though.

Edit: The component for runways 27 and the winds in the METAR is 24 knots.

There is an article here:

http://www.lightaircraftassociation....ade%20Easy.pdf
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