In article , Peter
wrote

"John Harper" wrote

I've written something about flying in England from the
perspective of a US pilot (albeit a Brit), it's at

www.john-a-harper.com/flying/england.htm

I'd especially be interested in any comments from UK
pilots.
[...]
Stapleford does have some bigger planes there but also, according to
my maintenance engineer, has quite a history of landing gear collapses
on twins, as well as a lot of gradual damage.

The AAIB bulletins might be a more objective source of information on
that subject... http://www.aaib.dft.gov.uk. Searching on "Stapleford
undercarriage" gave 140-odd hits, but I gave up looking after the first
30 turned out to be irrelevant.

Don't forget that as an intensively-used training airfield, it has quite
a history of practically everything. Also a choice: if you don't like
grass there's always tarmac, and vice versa.

I would not take my TB20
there ever again.

What went wrong?

(aside to John H - the tarmac only gets used as taxiway when the active
is 04L. Most people prefer 900m of downhill grass to either half the
length of tarmac with a hedge at the end, or grass with a nasty bump if
you find you need the tarmac as well ;-)

As for the crosswind landing technique - certainly I was taught the
sideslip method, so it's not a transatlantic difference.
--
Richard Herring