Wingstrike
Encyclopedia
Wingstrike is when an aircraft's wing hits the ground during takeoff or landing, most often as a complication of a crosswind landing
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Unexpected gusts of wind may cause an aircraft to roll to one side or the other during landing, whether they are performing a crosswind landing or not.
However, crosswind landings have a much more complex dynamic relationship between the wind and the aircraft attitude. Because the wind is blowing across the runway, the aircraft has to either roll or yaw into the wind to be able to approach down the runway's centerline. As the aircraft transitions from descent to touchdown, the roll and/or yaw have to be countered to land smoothly and stay on the runway. This transition can cause upsets, particularly in gusting wind.
Damage from wingstrike can range from replacement of wing surface skin areas at the wingtip, to structural damage throughout the wing due to overloads.
Dynamic flexing of the wing due to landing touchdown loads can also cause wingstrikes.
High wing
aircraft, where the wing is located on top of the fuselage, are configured more safely from a wing strike perspective. Low wing aircraft have the wing closer to the ground.
Crosswind landing
A crosswind landing is a landing maneuver in which a significant component of the prevailing wind is perpendicular to the runway center line.-Significance:Aircraft in flight are subject to the direction of the winds in which the aircraft is operating...
.
Unexpected gusts of wind may cause an aircraft to roll to one side or the other during landing, whether they are performing a crosswind landing or not.
However, crosswind landings have a much more complex dynamic relationship between the wind and the aircraft attitude. Because the wind is blowing across the runway, the aircraft has to either roll or yaw into the wind to be able to approach down the runway's centerline. As the aircraft transitions from descent to touchdown, the roll and/or yaw have to be countered to land smoothly and stay on the runway. This transition can cause upsets, particularly in gusting wind.
Damage from wingstrike can range from replacement of wing surface skin areas at the wingtip, to structural damage throughout the wing due to overloads.
Vulnerability
The risk for wingstrike primarily depends on the angle of the line between the tip of the wing and the landing gear. The position of the landing gear, when calculating that line, should be at the point that it is maximally compressed, for example if the aircraft comes down off center and with its weight entirely on the downwind gear. The maximum safe angle would be slightly less than that angle - at that angle, the wing will probably hit the runway.Dynamic flexing of the wing due to landing touchdown loads can also cause wingstrikes.
High wing
Wing configuration
Fixed-wing aircraft, popularly called aeroplanes, airplanes or just planes may be built with many wing configurations.This page provides a breakdown of types, allowing a full description of any aircraft's wing configuration...
aircraft, where the wing is located on top of the fuselage, are configured more safely from a wing strike perspective. Low wing aircraft have the wing closer to the ground.
