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Asked by: Soiartze Haferstock
business and finance aviation industryWhy do planes land at an angle?
In this way, why do planes come in sideways?
Planes do not 'land' sideways. Strong cross winds will blow the plane sideways. The pilot thus has to steer the plane TOWARDS the wind a bit in order to fly straight. Just before the wheels touch down, the pilot kicks in enough rudder to straighten the plane so the wheels are straight when they touch the runway.
Similarly, it is asked, at what angle do planes land?
Q: Is there a certain angle used to land a plane safely? Does it vary when various flight controls are in use? A: The normal descent profile is approximately 3 degrees. This can vary, but during the final stages of landing, 3 degrees is usually the target.
With this in mind, horizontal winds (also known as “crosswinds”) in excess of 30-35 kts (about 34-40 mph) are generally prohibitive of take-off and landing. If crosswinds are strong while the plane is at the gate, air traffic controllers maybe simply delay departure, as they would during heavy snow.