[PilotMan]

By hardest I mean most challenging. Not necessarily roughest. We make jokes that the most challenging days are when it's clear and beautiful and there's no wind. There are no excuses on those days. Like my landings a few weeks ago, strong cross winds, wind shear and bad weather are the culprits of challenging approaches. In bad weather the goal is to put the plane on the ground, so a firm landing is a good thing. Slow speeds close to the ground make the plane more susceptible to gusts or sudden wind shifts. Less forward momentum through the air means less usable rudder (the pedals I control with my feet) to control the direction the nose points.

Speed dictates the overall effectiveness of the controls. For every approach and landing the approach speed, landing speed, and landing distance is calculated prior to the approach. These are the targets we are shooting for while trying to point the plane in the right direction. Wind correction while flying is like crabbing into a strong current with a boat. It takes planning and coordination, but it goes a step further. Landing with a crab in puts undo stress on the landing gear and is considered a poor technique. Sometimes it's unavoidable, but in all cases we try and avoid it. To correct for the crab, the last 10 feet to the ground the pilot takes out the crab by dropping the wing a little (using the ailerons, controlled by the yoke) and "kicking the rudder" to compensate for the crosswind. This is the effect of the plane pointing in the same direction as the runway, with the upwind wing being slightly lower and into the wind. All this time using pitch and power adjustments to maintain the correct rate of decent and proper airspeed. Gusty and unpredictable winds make all those things happen often and simultaneously. I hope that clears up what I'm talking about.