Got current again

[DaleB]

I hadn't been out flying for a month again, for various reasons. The past week has been pretty much constant high winds; 18G26 was not uncommon from sunup to sundown and through the night. Finally this morning was nice, with about a 6K wind according to the METAR.

I flew a short distance to Scribner (KSCB), which was built during WWII to be a bomber and P-47 training field. It was also camouflaged so well that visiting pilots couldn't find it. One of the old runways served as a drag strip for many years, but that's long gone now as well. The long runway is 17/35, the short one is 12/30. As there was no other traffic around, I purposely picked 17 to get in some crosswind landing practice. Then I headed back to Millard for a few laps around the pattern, and by this time I had a choppy (though not abusive) x-wind there as well.

I turned the plane over to another club member, then came back about half an hour after sunset to start preflight again. As I started my taxi from the hangars, it occurred to me that not only had I not done any night takeoffs or landings since May, I'd never flown at night without a CFI. Oh well. Conditions were nice, about an 8 knot wind straight down runway 12. I did four laps, full stop and taxi back each time, and each one was better than the one before. I did a short-field on the third lap and soft-field on the fourth... held the nosewheel off for close to a hundred yards after touchdown.

So, just under 3 hours on the Hobbs for me today, I'm legal to carry passengers after dark again, and another Nebraska win in the books. Doesn't get much better than this.

 

[denverpilot]

Sounds like a very nice day (and night).

 

[BillTIZ]

Current again with the local flight school, although I have been flying elsewhere. But I needed a plane to ferry a pilot to move another plane between airports.

So 2 hrs and 5 landings at 4 airports. 45 a 60 degree crosswinds at 20G29, I think I'm Crosswind current too.

 

[DaleB]

20G29 at better than 45 degrees off the runway heading? You're a braver man than I. I'll work my way up to that... slowly.

 

[BillTIZ]

20G29 at better than 45 degrees off the runway heading? You're a braver man than I. I'll work my way up to that... slowly.

23knts at 50 degrees off is 17knt direct component.
I won't say it was a piece-o-cake, but you do have to pay attention.
It's the gusts that can get you.

If you cannot hold centerline with wing low and opposite rudder on final, don't expect to hold it to the runway.

Winds around here catch more transient pilots that just are not prepared for it.

 

[jesse]

23knts at 50 degrees off is 17knt direct component.
I won't say it was a piece-o-cake, but you do have to pay attention.
It's the gusts that can get you.

If you cannot hold centerline with wing low and opposite rudder on final, don't expect to hold it to the runway.

Winds around here catch more transient pilots that just are not prepared for it.

Often times I've found if you can't hold the runway and centerline you might be able to when you get down to the runway where often the wind weakens just enough.

 

[BillTIZ]

Often times I've found if you can't hold the runway and centerline you might be able to when you get down to the runway where often the wind weakens just enough.

Ground friction will slow the wind effect and change the direction slightly.
Where is the towers wind sensor? On top of the tower or beside the runway?
What he reports may not be what you experience.

Also mechanical turbulence from local buildings, hangars, etc.

 

[DaleB]

Millard can be a little bit of a challenge. The airport is sort of down in a bowl and the AWOS setup is off to the left of the runway, about halfway to a tree line. The wind sensor is a bit below the tree line, so AWOS often reports winds that are... well, slightly optimistic. I have learned to check weather at other nearby airports in addition to MLE before deciding whether to fly. What you get on final may be significantly different in speed and direction than what you get the last 20 feet or so. It'll keep you on your toes (and those toes on the rudder pedals). It took me a little time to get used to after flying out of OMA and BTA, both of which are in flat areas clear of any wind-altering obstructions.