Gusts with no AWOS

[Rudy]

Ok i flew over to Lamar from Pittsburg yesterday. I train at Pittsburg usually and we have an AWOS. I ran into a little question when i got to lamar, I knew the winds were most likely gusting, because they were at PTS but i didnt know how much to add to my final speed. Is there anyway to make a good guess or do you just take a wild stab at it.

 

[Mark S]

Rudy,

Several tricks. Listen to some nearby AWOS broascast stations to give you an idea about what is going on in the area. Sometimes this takes some local knowledge, especially around the mountains, but will give you an idea of what is happening. Second, learn to "read" the wind a little. Look at the windsock. Does it stand straight out, or is it hanging a little and is the direction constant? Look at fields and trees around the airport. Are the trees waving at you? Is dirt being picked up from plowed fields and being blown around? All these can help you judge the wind and gusts. When the winds are such that trees are breaking, keep the Piper in the hanger.
Cessna's on the other hand do fine.

Mark

 

[Ken Ibold]

When the winds are such that trees are breaking, keep the Piper in the hanger.
Cessna's on the other hand do fine.

Because they're so ugly the Earth will still repel them???

 

[Greebo]

Note to self. Ban Ken. Again.

 

[Mark S]

Because they're so ugly the Earth will still repel them???

No, because they are so beautiful and natural, the earth wants to gently gather them to her bosum.

Mark

 

[Mark S]

Note to self. Ban Ken. Again.

Don't ban him, he knows no better

Mark

 

[Brian Austin]

No, because they are so beautiful and natural, the earth wants to gently gather them to her bosum.

Mark

And, occasionally, the high-wingers have to help the low-wingers down to Mother Earth...

 

[Ken Ibold]

And, occasionally, the high-wingers have to help the low-wingers down to Mother Earth...

Ah, yeah, that's NOT the caption I would put on this perverted display.

 

[Ken Ibold]

Don't ban him, he knows no better

Mark

That's true. I only have about 250 hours in 152s, 172s, 172RGs, 182s, 182RGs and 206s. I guess it takes longer to understand the beauty in them. Now, my Mooney 201 ... THAT was love at first flight!!

:dance:

 

[Keith Lane]

I have 10 or so hours in the C-152 in the lower position. It was (is) bad at PCM, Plant City, Florida. The plane on top was lifted off with a crane, inspected, the upholstery cleaned (so I'm told, but a rumor) and was flown back to it's base the same dy.

N48823 needed a windshield, left flap and the left seat needed cleaning also.

The rightseat, occupied by a CHI in his 60's seemed just fine. He landed both planes. Iknow of no other CFI who can claim to have landed TWO planed simultaneously!

 

[RotaryWingBob]

Rudy,

Several tricks. Listen to some nearby AWOS broascast stations to give you an idea about what is going on in the area. Sometimes this takes some local knowledge, especially around the mountains, but will give you an idea of what is happening. Second, learn to "read" the wind a little. Look at the windsock. Does it stand straight out, or is it hanging a little and is the direction constant? Look at fields and trees around the airport. Are the trees waving at you? Is dirt being picked up from plowed fields and being blown around? All these can help you judge the wind and gusts. When the winds are such that trees are breaking, keep the Piper in the hanger.
Cessna's on the other hand do fine.

Mark

One other trick that I was taught by an experienced bush pilot -- watch the birds -- if they're getting slammed around, you will too. If they're changing between soaring and flapping, there's probably LLWS.

 

[Brian Austin]

N48823 needed a windshield, left flap and the left seat needed cleaning also.

I'm guessing the landing gear needed a little work, too. I don't think it's rated for that kind of weight.

 

[Rudy]

Alright thanks for the tips. I will try and notice those things next time.

 

[bbchien]

I can't tell you how to compute gusts. However, if you fly down the length of the runway and time the distance, then time it the other way, use

(T1-T2)/(T1+T2) and that will give you the baseline wind speed down the runway as a fraction of your TAS. You can also judge crosswind this way but you then become a traffic hazard flying crosswise over the runway at TPA.

CFI

 

[Rudy]

I can't tell you how to compute gusts. However, if you fly down the length of the runway and time the distance, then time it the other way, use

(T1-T2)/(T1+T2) and that will give you the baseline wind speed down the runway as a fraction of your TAS. You can also judge crosswind this way but you then become a traffic hazard flying crosswise over the runway at TPA.

CFI

Good one!! I will definitely use that.

 

[glpilot]

The rightseat, occupied by a CHI in his 60's seemed just fine. He landed both planes. Iknow of no other CFI who can claim to have landed TWO planed simultaneously!

That is just incredible. I would pay to see a video of that :dance: