Rgbeard
En-Route
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2017
- Messages
- 4,253
- Location
- Phoenix, AZ and Ensenada, Mexico
- Display Name
Display name:
rgbeard
This morning my wife and I flew the Lance from SDM to GYR. This is a routine trip for us, and we know it mile-by-mile.
According to the weather briefing, it was pretty ordinary VFR but with the risk that some afternoon storms might develop in the Phoenix area later in the day.
Getting to Goodyear, there was a well-developed thunderstorm rolling in, a little ahead of the forecast schedule, and I am hearing complaints and deviation requests from the airline pilots coming in and out of Phoenix Sky Harbor.
I'm beating in the storm, but not by a lot. But why me worry? I'm instrument rated, current and proficient, so worst case I could get an IFR pickup and fly the GPS RWY3 approach, if I had to, right? GYR Tower clears me for a straight-in to Rwy3. Perfect! No delays. I'm getting this done.
Last windcheck, winds calm.
On short final the windshield picks up a few stray raindrops. I found myself wishing it was just a little more water, so as to wash the dust off the plane from the past few days.
Just before touching down, I got two nudges from the right side. Kinda' like a hand-from-God push, and I had to begin a last -minute crosswind adjustment. The touchdown on the now-wet pavement was unremarkable. I managed the changing environment well, and gave myself a silent pat on the back.
I got down and began taxiing to the hangars, and the rain REALLY began to pick up. I'm watching and now the windsock is a full sock perpendicular to the runway. I now can't see the taxiway very well. And I'm getting blown pretty well. I've slowed down the taxi a lot (not that I taxi quickly to begin with). The last thing I want to do is lose control on the ground taxiiing back to the hangar!!
I turn headed into the wind on the ramp going to the hangars, and WEEEEEEEE that's the sound of the stall horn. Damn, Mother Nature is wanting to show me how well she flies airplanes. I don't consider mother nature much of a pilot, and I don't want to find out. I'm also seeing lots of blowing debris, and I don't want to have any of it strike.
I have to say - I was significantly concerned.
I wanted to make positive that I didn't hit a hangar or get blown into one,
The wind was HOWLING down the hangar rows. The pavement was not at all discernible, and looked more like a lake than asphalt. I found myself trying to navigate the plane on the ground, keep it from getting pushed around, and keep it from taking off.
I questioned shutting it off versus just keep it running for a little while more so I could maintain some control. I turned the plane as much as I dared and shut it down while my wife Jack-rabbited to the hangar door.
With the help of my wife, it's in safe and sound.
10 minutes later - it's mostly cleared, no rain, and very little wind. It's pretty obvious now that this was a collapsing microburst, and I feel pretty damn lucky.
Landing ahead of the storm can sometimes be cutting it too close.
According to the weather briefing, it was pretty ordinary VFR but with the risk that some afternoon storms might develop in the Phoenix area later in the day.
Getting to Goodyear, there was a well-developed thunderstorm rolling in, a little ahead of the forecast schedule, and I am hearing complaints and deviation requests from the airline pilots coming in and out of Phoenix Sky Harbor.
I'm beating in the storm, but not by a lot. But why me worry? I'm instrument rated, current and proficient, so worst case I could get an IFR pickup and fly the GPS RWY3 approach, if I had to, right? GYR Tower clears me for a straight-in to Rwy3. Perfect! No delays. I'm getting this done.
Last windcheck, winds calm.
On short final the windshield picks up a few stray raindrops. I found myself wishing it was just a little more water, so as to wash the dust off the plane from the past few days.
Just before touching down, I got two nudges from the right side. Kinda' like a hand-from-God push, and I had to begin a last -minute crosswind adjustment. The touchdown on the now-wet pavement was unremarkable. I managed the changing environment well, and gave myself a silent pat on the back.
I got down and began taxiing to the hangars, and the rain REALLY began to pick up. I'm watching and now the windsock is a full sock perpendicular to the runway. I now can't see the taxiway very well. And I'm getting blown pretty well. I've slowed down the taxi a lot (not that I taxi quickly to begin with). The last thing I want to do is lose control on the ground taxiiing back to the hangar!!
I turn headed into the wind on the ramp going to the hangars, and WEEEEEEEE that's the sound of the stall horn. Damn, Mother Nature is wanting to show me how well she flies airplanes. I don't consider mother nature much of a pilot, and I don't want to find out. I'm also seeing lots of blowing debris, and I don't want to have any of it strike.
I have to say - I was significantly concerned.
I wanted to make positive that I didn't hit a hangar or get blown into one,
The wind was HOWLING down the hangar rows. The pavement was not at all discernible, and looked more like a lake than asphalt. I found myself trying to navigate the plane on the ground, keep it from getting pushed around, and keep it from taking off.
I questioned shutting it off versus just keep it running for a little while more so I could maintain some control. I turned the plane as much as I dared and shut it down while my wife Jack-rabbited to the hangar door.
With the help of my wife, it's in safe and sound.
10 minutes later - it's mostly cleared, no rain, and very little wind. It's pretty obvious now that this was a collapsing microburst, and I feel pretty damn lucky.
Landing ahead of the storm can sometimes be cutting it too close.
