let's talk about wind...

drgwentzel

drgwentzel

Pre-takeoff checklist
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Kobra
Flyers, (two questions)

Question one: As the Tempationis would ask, "Is it just my imagination..." or have we on the East coast been experiencing higher wind speeds or at least, a higher frequency of "windier" days?

Let's define "windier". How about "windier" means days with winds that would cause us to postpone a "pleasure flight" only...not a commercial flight...not a flight where we are perfectly capable of flying, but if we did, it would not be enjoyable, relaxing or comfortable.

For example, I would fly a "pressing" flight with winds gusting up to 25 because I feel I am safe in those winds, BUT it would NOT be relaxing or enjoyable. I would NOT fly in these conditions for pleassure, such as, to take my wife to dinner, or to take up a friend wanting his or her first GA flight in a "small airplane".

So, the question is: "have we on the East coast been experiencing higher wind speeds or at least, a higher frequency of 'windier' days?".

Question two: What is everyone's personal cut-off for winds?

i.e. I will fly for pleasure up to gusts of 18 knots and I will fly for pressing flights up to gusts to 25. Greater than 25, the only fire I want to see is in my fireplace. I have flown in gusts to 30-35, I can do it, but it was a white knuckle flight and it was on the edge of being dangerous due to moderate to severe turbulance, and a gust on landing at just the wrong moment could spell "bent metal". So, that was when I moved my personal minimum to 25.

Gene
 
My personal minimum is about 25 mph as well and I don't like huge cross winds, but here in Texas the winds are pretty much 180 to 360 day in, day out.

I will say anecdotally that this year is the first real winter I can remember in about 12+ years. My friends up north in PA where I used to live are getting the snow/weather PA was known for and down here in Austin, We're finally having a real texas spring and our normal winds.. just a bit cooler than we're used to.
 
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My personal wind limits are about the same as yours. And for the same reason, that a strong gust at the wrong moment could lead to bent metal. It's really not a question of what I've been able to handle once or twice in the past, past performance is no guarantee of future results. Every wind situation is unique, and very strong winds can do weird and unpredictable things as they interact with obstructions on the surface. Winds gusting to 30, I wouldn't launch in for any reason unless they were right down the runway and forecast to be that way at both ends of the flight.
 
drgwentzel said:
Flyers, (two questions)
So, the question is: "have we on the East coast been experiencing higher wind speeds or at least, a higher frequency of 'windier' days?".

Question two: What is everyone's personal cut-off for winds?

i.e. I will fly for pleasure up to gusts of 18 knots and I will fly for pressing flights up to gusts to 25. Greater than 25, the only fire I want to see is in my fireplace. I have flown in gusts to 30-35, I can do it, but it was a white knuckle flight and it was on the edge of being dangerous due to moderate to severe turbulance, and a gust on landing at just the wrong moment could spell "bent metal". So, that was when I moved my personal minimum to 25.
Click to expand...

I see they are really blowing today.

This is the windy season for the NE. Post cold front conditions used to be what I longed for when I was soaring. While the strong northeastern winds you are getting today just bring gray, cold and bluster, the strong NW wind following a normal cold front passage was heaven. Xwind takeoffs with a tail wheel Bird Dog towing a long wing sailplane were exciting. But the promise of getting up on the ridge at Blairstown and tree top surfing down to Burnt Cabins (gone now) or even Cumberland And back would get us out there. The more wind, the faster you go.

I don't think the winds are any better than they were 20 years ago. Those fronts will come thru every 5-10 days for the next 60 days or so, then they diminish is frequency and magnitude until returning in Oct & Nov.

A gusty 15knot day will discourage me from taking someone up for a joy ride but I've never set a limit on the winds I'll fly in when I'm trying to get somewhere. When I had a tail wheel, having a runway pointed towards the wind or having wind shading trees like I do at my home 'port were serious considerations. The only hard limit I set is having enough rudder to slip properly and to keep things lined up.

At some point you are going to takeoff with forecast winds saying one thing and actual winds at arrival being something else. Having a cold front passage beat you to your destination is the classic. Then you just have to get it done. Going to an alternate with winds down the runway can be the key to an uneventful day.
 
drgwentzel said:
Flyers, (two questions)

... days with winds that would cause us to postpone a "pleasure flight" only...not a commercial flight...not a flight where we are perfectly capable of flying, but if we did, it would not be enjoyable, relaxing or comfortable.
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?? What's that?

Do days exist with winds less than 20 knots on the ground and less than 50 knots at altitude?

Do areas exist without the phenomenon called "turbulence"? :confused:
 
oldShar said:
?? What's that?

Do days exist with winds less than 20 knots on the ground and less than 50 knots at altitude?

Do areas exist without the phenomenon called "turbulence"? :confused:
Click to expand...

Ha Ha! Not where you are except perhaps very early in the morn or during the night.
 
Had to cancel my check-ride because of these strong winds :(


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2
 
drgwentzel said:
Flyers, (two questions)

Question one: As the Tempationis would ask, "Is it just my imagination..." or have we on the East coast been experiencing higher wind speeds or at least, a higher frequency of "windier" days?

Let's define "windier". How about "windier" means days with winds that would cause us to postpone a "pleasure flight" only...not a commercial flight...not a flight where we are perfectly capable of flying, but if we did, it would not be enjoyable, relaxing or comfortable.

For example, I would fly a "pressing" flight with winds gusting up to 25 because I feel I am safe in those winds, BUT it would NOT be relaxing or enjoyable. I would NOT fly in these conditions for pleassure, such as, to take my wife to dinner, or to take up a friend wanting his or her first GA flight in a "small airplane".

So, the question is: "have we on the East coast been experiencing higher wind speeds or at least, a higher frequency of 'windier' days?".

Question two: What is everyone's personal cut-off for winds?

i.e. I will fly for pleasure up to gusts of 18 knots and I will fly for pressing flights up to gusts to 25. Greater than 25, the only fire I want to see is in my fireplace. I have flown in gusts to 30-35, I can do it, but it was a white knuckle flight and it was on the edge of being dangerous due to moderate to severe turbulance, and a gust on landing at just the wrong moment could spell "bent metal". So, that was when I moved my personal minimum to 25.

Gene
Click to expand...

Chuck Norris will be along shortly to tell you that you're unqualified to be PIC:rofl::D:rolleyes:
 
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I was a primary student getting ready to solo around March of 2011. It was hard. Lesson after lesson my instructor would tell me I was ready to solo but we'd need a day with lower winds. I got a lot of practice doing dual touch and goes in winds gusting over 20 knots, sometimes with a good crosswind component too, as I waited for the right day to solo. Finally I scheduled a lesson for the morning before work and found the one hour of reasonable winds I needed for my first solo three around the pattern. Winter is always windier, at least here in the northeast.

These days I would consider 25 knots wind gusts to be the point where I'd probably be staying on the ground. The gust factor is a more important number because it indicates how much the wind is going to be changing. A steady headwind straight down the runway at 25 knots is very different from winds gusting 10-25 straight down the runway, or worse a crosswind with a gust factor like that. So my decision is going to take into account the gust factor as well as the direction(s) of runway(s) at my intended destination.
 
Some of my best landings have come to me on extremely windy and gusty days.
Some seem to think that it's because I'm concentrating on flying the plane all the way to the hangar.
The more crosswind the better the landing, but that doesn't mean that I haven't had to pry my clammy hands off the yoke afterwards.

I live in North Florida and there seems to be a massive increase in the amount of windy/gusty days that we're having this year.

Some of the winds blowing around my house lately have given me hurricane flashbacks caused the sound of the wind hammering the house.

Todays METAR for KFHB 061853Z AUTO 28021G27KT 10SM CLR 14/01 A2996 RMK A01
 
I talked to my friend the weather dude. He says we have had a higher number of days with wind, and the average wind speed is higher than normal for the East Coast.
 
I've felt this year has been really windy on the east coast. I've found myself twice flying in gusty conditions up to 20 knots just to keep flying. I guess that's good to expand my comfort zone. It will make those 6 knot summer days seem real easy!
 
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If you guys are looking for a way to use your personal minimums for winds (and several other factors) and get color-coded reports for your airports, please check out the app I just released--Takeoff Aviation Weather. It was developed with the help of many PoA members, so let me know what you think!

http://TakeoffAviationWeather.com
 
This thread confirms it ... the east coast blows:lol:

Am at 500 hours and have flown more windy days than not here in west Texas and encountered extreme turbulence on several occasions, rotors, downdrafts etc.

If surface winds are above 25 knots I no longer fly. Not that I can't, only that it is not enjoyable, can't take passengers and generally means some massive headwind with gas at $6.
 
EpicDraws said:
If you guys are looking for a way to use your personal minimums for winds (and several other factors) and get color-coded reports for your airports, please check out the app I just released--Takeoff Aviation Weather. It was developed with the help of many PoA members, so let me know what you think!

http://TakeoffAviationWeather.com
Click to expand...
EDIT: After having had the opportunity to utilize this app I must admit that I have found it to a very useful part of my EFB for flight planning. :yesnod:
 
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flav8r said:
EDIT: After having had the opportunity to utilize this app I must admit that I have found it to a very useful part of my EFB for flight planning.
Click to expand...

Sent you a PM--would love to know how we can improve it for you!
 
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