What specifically made it not a good use of time? Maybe that’s the question you need to answer, and figure out how to address that issue.Yesterday we went up with 10-15 knot gusting winds, and it was pretty bumpy - not a good use of the time.
Exactly my pointYou know the answer.
Crosswinds in a Cherokee should be pretty much a non-event. In TX winds of 20kts are common. I wonder if you have the right instructor - up to 15 kts even early in training should be straightforward.KLVJ is a single-strip airport, so most days we have a crosswind component that is unavoidable. Wind is generally worse at Galveston, and no way do I want to deal with KHOU.
Are you suggesting that a Pitts is a good choice for a training aircraft?Taildraggery is a great way to learn and refine crosswind technique.
The military used Stearmans to good advantage.Are you suggesting that a Pitts is a good choice for a training aircraft?
So.....I should tell my wife that this would be a responsible investment as a trainer?The military used Stearmans to good advantage.
As the saying goes, if you can land a Pitts, you can land anything. When it comes to crosswinds, there is probably some truth to that. No amount of drift or crab is acceptable. Pitts have tons of rudder authority, but flat bottom wing Pitts are limited in the amount of slip they can land with or they'll drag a wingtip.Are you suggesting that a Pitts is a good choice for a training aircraft?
I think @Half Fast pretty much covered it.So.....I should tell my wife that this would be a responsible investment as a trainer?
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My brother-in-law flies a Pitts; he's explained the landing sequence....seems a bit overwhelming to me at this point in my learning process.As the saying goes, if you can land a Pitts, you can land anything. When it comes to crosswinds, there is probably some truth to that. No amount of drift or crab is acceptable. Pitts have tons of rudder authority, but flat bottom wing Pitts are limited in the amount of slip they can land with or they'll drag a wingtip.
Wasn’t that the original version of the Queen song?flat bottom wing Pitts
Of course everything after that was also a taildragger, and many were radials, so it made good sense.The military used Stearmans to good advantage.
The only thing we are missing is a T-6.
I agree. I've never seen any FAA guidance on max winds, and I've landed with winds gusting into the 40s and not just down the runway. Demonstrated crosswind component is what the manufacturer's test pilots decided an average pilot can handle. It is not a limitation.There are posts above implying that the demonstrated crosswind component in the POH is a limitation and the FAA considers a 15-knot crosswind component to be hazardous. I don’t know that either of those is accurate.
What I heard was that max demonstrated crosswind was limited by the maximum crosswind that was available during certification testing.I agree. I've never seen any FAA guidance on max winds, and I've landed with winds gusting into the 40s and not just down the runway. Demonstrated crosswind component is what the manufacturer's test pilots decided an average pilot can handle. It is not a limitation.
I wish we had something like that up here, but pretty much every runway here is 17/35 or 18/36.
It's true.Even the trees lean north out there.
Taildraggery is a great way to learn and refine crosswind technique.
Well since the two choices seem to be (a) go around or (b) increase the risk of damaging the airplane or myself, I don't think it's a difficult question.and if you can’t hold alignment?
Go flying.How much wind is acceptable for a training flight?
The reason I ask is that my instructor is pushing me to make the call on weather-related flights. I’m not sure that I have enough experience yet to know. Yesterday we went up with 10-15 knot gusting winds, and it was pretty bumpy - not a good use of the time. It was my call to fly anyway, and I did get some seat time. Now I know that 15 knots is more than I want to deal with for maneuvers and pattern practice, but that is just one data point. Today I canceled out on a 9-knot TAF….am I being a wimp, or exercising good judgment?
Where is the line? How much is too much, and what should I expect as just “normal” and plan to deal with it?
We had a tree, but it blew away years ago.Even the trees lean north out there.
I think that part of the discussion you quoted was about what to do if you're at risk of running out of gas before the wind allows you to make a safe landing. And the answer is the second step in a two-step process: Go around, then divert to a safer place to land.Well since the two choices seem to be (a) go around or (b) increase the risk of damaging the airplane or myself, I don't think it's a difficult question.
I believe there’s a minimum that has to be demonstrated for certification, but beyond that it’s going to be availability and willingness of the manufacturer to go beyond minimum certification requirements.What I heard was that max demonstrated crosswind was limited by the maximum crosswind that was available during certification testing.
I noticed early on that it's not in the limitations section of the POH, and I speculated that this meant it was not a legal limitation. An assistant administrator of the FAA was posting on Avsig in those days, and he confirmed that interpretation.
Yeah, I like the idea of exploring the limit so that when the time comes you will really know....
so in your case I think very often I'd be saying to your CFI ..."If I were solo (or PIC) right now, I'd not go today because x, BUT with you onboard I'd like to go for the experience."
The 172 has less rudder authority than a 150. Sad, but true. Only its higher touchdown speed allows it to handle 15 kts.A fixed gear tricycle training aircraft can withstand pretty hefty side loads and still track straight. There are a lot of students out there repeatedly slamming airplanes onto the pavement without correcting for drift, and the damn things still fly for 10K hours. I think a skilled pilot could probably plop a 172 down with the rudder to the stops and some drift remaining and walk away unscathed. In a pinch.