Does the B-2 have a easier time landing in crosswinds then..

KamenRiderBlade · by **KamenRiderBlade** » 21 Oct 2018, 06:43

Does the B-2 have a easier time landing in Heavy Cross Winds then say the B-1 or B-52?

Is being a flying wing a superior planform for Heavy Cross Wind landing, or are traditionally laid out aircraft like the B-1 or B-52 with it's large rudder a better planform for landing in the Heavy Cross Wind situation?

How would a Flying wing compare to a traditional Rudder design and compared to a V-tail for Heavy Cross Wind landing?

FlightDreamz · by **FlightDreamz** » 21 Oct 2018, 15:52

I don't know (and am interested to see what others say about this). But the B-52 Stratofortress does have landing gear that can be angled twenty degrees left or right of centerline making it easier to "crab" see https://theaviationist.com/2016/05/05/b-52-wca-landing/
The B-52's large vertical stabilizer has gotta be a pain in the @#$%!! in a crosswind however...

zhangmdev · by **zhangmdev** » 21 Oct 2018, 18:35

B-2 has quite large landing gear doors. Don't they double as verticle stabilizers during takeoff and landing?

KamenRiderBlade · by **KamenRiderBlade** » 22 Oct 2018, 01:23

How many aircraft have rotatable landing gears to allow for crabbing?

zhangmdev · by **zhangmdev** » 22 Oct 2018, 07:50

Most aircraft can bank a bit to let the landing gear on one side touchdown first before de-crab. So there is no need to actually rotate the landing gears. B-52's design is quite unique. Its landing gear is not single line bicycle like B-47 or U-2. Low wingtip makes banking difficult.

smsgtmac · by **smsgtmac** » 27 Nov 2018, 03:04

KamenRiderBlade wrote:Does the B-2 have a easier time landing in Heavy Cross Winds then say the B-1 or B-52?....

I'd say the B-2 is easier only because it has the flight control software that makes it so. Av Week (before it was too Weak) had an excellent pilot report: http://aviationweek.com/site-files/avia ... Report.pdf
And the crosswind landing technique used is pretty well demonstrated in this video in particular. A windy, gusty day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6aK2yssLS0
Note the differential use of the rudders to get a crab, the GLAS damping pitch rates, and the slight lowering of the upwind wing. All obvious at different times.
Sorry I didn't see the question earlier.