Crosswind overhead break

[IR.Clutch]

Whether you exceed the required AOA in a strong crosswind performing overhead break or use a slight deviation from the course on the Downwind Leg giving more space for the final maneuver?  What techniques do you use?

Edited August 19, 2022 by IR Sky

[t1mb0b]

you fly the reciprocal heading to the runway whatever the crosswind, ie the track, this will mean your heading is 'crabbed' into wind, you might want to increase or decrease your (parallel) distance from the centreline accordingly 

[Ignition]

I usually increase/decrease the distance to the runway (slightly) on downwind because when you're on base the wind may push you out for final.

[Frederf]

Just like they taught us in a cessna, modify your headings to do the same ground track as no wind. Note the WCA on initial and assume it gets bigger when slower. If pattern is on winward side and crosswind is windward side I might consider putting key point more upwind but just more throttle and more base turn G should suffice.

[ASAP]

You should offset your flight path slightly into the wind and crab to keep your ground track parallel to the runway. Goal is to find a perch point that allows you to be able fly the same final turn mech. 

So if you are landing on runway 01 with a left hand pattern and the wind is coming from 100 at 20 (right to left when your coming up initial/on final), you’d want to fly a tighter pattern closer to the runway because the wind will be blowing you away from the runway while you are in the final turn (undershooting wind), if the wind was 280@20 you want to fly wider spacing because you’ll be getting pushed closer to the runway (overshooting winds), in actuality you’d want to do that to account for headwind/tailwinds if they are strong enough by moving your perch point into the wind as well. 
 

As far as how much to move into the wind and what that looks like… I recommend using the wingtip missile rail. For No wind I’d put it on the runway, overshooting winds I’d put the rail just outside the wing, for undershooting just inside the rail. 

[WHOGX5]

The way I do it is I simply estimate the "angle", or lateral distance, between the velocity vector and the gun cross. Then you estimate the crab angle and add or subtract that to your magnetic heading in the HUD and you won't drift. If you're not confident enough to eyeball the crab angle, reference the 5 degree marks on the pitch ladder and use that to estimate your crab angle.

[Nealius]

Velocity vector on the reciprocal heading. I don't worry about abeam distance until winds are >5kts. I typically avoid making missions with winds higher than 5~7kts due to the hard-coded, extreme windsheer at higher elevation.