Sometimes, you get to your destination and the wind has changed. What do you do? First, obviously, is to find an alternate airport with a runway pointing into the wind. But sometimes, you can't.

 

I recently went to Lake Texoma. When we departed Austin, winds were 200 at 12. But when we got there, they were 230 at 15 g 23. The only runway was 18. So that was a 50 degree crosswind - 15 to 23 - meaning the crosswind component was 10 to 17, which is above the published limits of the airplane.

 

I had no choice but to land some place.   I decided not to land at Lake Texoma, because the runway was only 30 feet wide.  I looked on the sectional at all runways that were within flight distance and saw all of them were either 18 or 17.  I opted to go to Perrin field, with 100 ft. wide runways.  The runway was 17, which meant I had a 60 degree, 15 g 23 knot crosswind.  This is well above the maximum.  To get the crosswind component down to 10, I would have to land at a 30 degree angle.

 

As I approached, I lined up on the left side of the runway and angled to the right to achieve a 30 degree angle to the wind.  This reduced the crosswind component to 7 g 12.  I could manage that.  But doing this is tricky.  You can't reference the center-line any longer.  You MUST pick a point on the other side of the runway, like a sign or light,  or the plane will drift or point off-center to your track, and you won't know it's doing that. 

 

With the angle reduced to 30 degrees, it wasn't difficult to keep the airplane from drifting.  But rudder authority goes away at slow speed.  As soon as the airplane touched down, it wanted to weathervane to the right.  I held the nose wheel off and pushed the left rudder to the floor, ready to apply left brake (didn't have to.)  We quickly slowed down, and I could straighten rudder and allow the nose wheel to touch.  I used all 100 feet of the width though.

Winds can change while going cross country.  If you ever get caught landing with crosswind component above 10 knots, either  (a) find an alternate airport with a runway that is more into the wind, or (b) go to an airport with a VERY wide runway.  My case was an extreme situation.    

 

One Very Important Note:  I saw a taxiway leading to the main runway that was 45 degrees into it.  I asked the controller if I could land on that.  She said, "Yes, at your own risk."  In hindsight, that's what I should have done.  Winds would have been 15 degrees and the landing would have been super easy had I taken this option.  Just FYI, in case it ever happens to you.  Controllers are there to help.