Originally Posted by
rar indeed
As a non-physicist (
), I'd have to agree that it would have something to do with the amount of force perpendicular to the aeroplane, but then I'd imagine that some sort of adjustment would have to be made with respect to certain characteristics of the aeroplane itself - size of the vertical stabilizer, etc - that would create varying changes in yaw based upon wind direction (or is it assumed that the pilot would compensate for any such changes?).
My question is more about the actual maximum crosswind component. I'm guessing it's merely a "this aeroplane can withstand an X kt crosswind" and then doing elementary trigonometry to determine the crosswind and headwind components of a wind given its speed and direction from the referenced sites. If not, I'm definately interested as to exactly what it is and how pilots can calculate the "effective" (for the lack of a better word) crosswind given a situation.
If I understand you: a) discovering how the perculiar aerodynamic characteristics (stablizer, degree of flaps, etc., etc.) of the plane affect the ability to land it safely is what is done in testing, so that b) one can indeed then say this airplane -- given all of that testing -- has a maximum crosswind component of x in y (flaps up/down, etc.) configuration. Then all you have to do is calculate from wind speed/direction what the component is and you have your answer as to whether it is legal to fly the airplane.
My experience is that if you're near the line of asking about legal, you shouldn't be trying the landing, my foolish at-100-hours-I-knew-everything efforts notwithstanding
Edit: Upon re-reading
Originally Posted by
rar indeed
... I'm guessing it's merely a "this aeroplane can withstand an X kt crosswind" and then doing elementary trigonometry to determine the crosswind and headwind components of a wind given its speed and direction from the referenced sites.
I think that nails it -- and sums it better than my feeble attempts.