‘Landing the Crab’: Understand the maneuver that allowed planes to land during a storm in London | World

Heathrow airport photos caught the eye, as the pilots appeared to be having trouble landing.

In frequent landings, pilots made different landings than you normally see.

Instead of descending in line with the runway, planes approach from both sides until the last minute. This movement is known as “crab landing” or “crab approach.” Only at the last moment did they re-align themselves with the track and touch the ground.

Crab landing occurs under strong winds.

These winds, especially when not aligned with the direction of the runway, further complicate the landing process. In the case of Storm Eunice, the winds passed through the site in gusts, making landing more difficult.

Wind makes the aircraft unable to line up perfectly with the runway. It is common to have rounds (when the landing is interrupted) in such situations.

To overcome the problem, the “crab landing” method was created, in which the front of the aircraft is turned to the direction from which the wind is coming. This causes the plane to move slightly sideways toward the airstrip.

According to experts, this technology facilitates the pilot’s ability to land.

weather service United kingdom It issued a rare red alert Friday (18) for the “extremely high winds” caused by Storm Eunice.

In the British capital, where winds can reach 130 km/h, many parks are closed and the famous London Eye Ferris has stopped receiving visitors.

According to the Met Office, this phenomenon can “cause significant disturbances”, with winds that can reach 145 km / h. At least one death as a result of the storm has been confirmed.