Rough as a cob

ApacheBob

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Jul 7, 2006
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ApacheBob
Bouncy by Aurora today. Winds 280 at 15 gusting to 28. Partly sunny skies. How bad can it be?

Halfway to Pontiac, I was still trying to tighten my seatbelt. It was that third head bounce on the roof that inspired that.

While waiting for departure at Aurora (I was number four), a TBM on downwind asked to be made Number 1 for landing. "One of my passengers would like to get on the ground as soon as possible."
"November one two three, are you declaring an emergency?"
"Negative, just seeing if we could change the plan"
"Roger, follow the twinstar on base, number two, cleared to land."

My departure was also delayed due to a disabled aircraft on Runway 27. Low level windshear? It looked like a Cherokee 160. The line guys who usually fuel me were dragging the aircraft off the runway. So I taxied over to Joliet Avionics for 100LL.

I was watching foreflight carefully for my flight to Pontiac. There is a gun range just southwest of Morris Municipal that I wanted to avoid. Surface to 5,000 msl warning for the gun range.

The sky was pretty empty despite the relative good visibility. Just too bumpy, I guess.

I wanted to get lunch at Pontiac, but the 45 minute delay at Aurora put the kibosh on that plan. I overflew the airport at 2,000 msl to enter the left traffic pattern. Then, I teardropped into the left downwind on a 45 degree angle. I did a touch and go on Runway 24. I was the only aircraft in the pattern.

On departure, I climbed on the left downwind until I was at 2000 msl to exit the pattern over the top of the field.

Returning to Aurora (I used the "REVERSE" on foreflight for the flight plan), it seemed less bumpy. Maybe I was just used to it. I received VFR advisories from Chicago Center and then Chicago Approach Control.

Aurora tower asked me to make a short approach for traffic on the opposite downwind. I responded that I would like to fly a normal pattern due to the gusty winds. They didn't object. The winds were twisting left and right with some vigor. I was not far from touching down when I needed to swap a crab to the left with a crab to the right. In the flare, everything seemed to calm down and I was able to put the aircraft in a gentle slip to the right just before touchdown to avoid a side load on the gear. I was able to exit at Alpha 3.

I like the challenge. Every day isn't just droning along the magenta line.
 
Flying around central Alabama today at lunchtime, my crab angle at 2500-3000 msl was varying 20-25° toward the SE (ground elevation 200-325' msl). One base-to-final turn, flown wide and started early, still had me behind the first row of hangars off the ramp due to direct crosswind. Elsewhere, more or less into the wind, i touched down right on the freshly-repainted 500' IFR stripe, and had to add throttle to make the 2500' turnoff, braking not required.

A little bouncy, a little squirrelly, not a good day to give first rides, but still good to be back in the air.
 
Been a bit gusty lately. I was flying back from the SW a few weeks ago, enjoying a 30kt tailwind in N NM as we flew East at 4-5k AGL. It was a bit bumpy but tolerable at a reduced speed. The problem was when we got to the NW corner of TX, North of Abilene.

30 miles from the overnight I was checking the WX, almost as strong of winds as at altitude, but near the opposite direction. The weather was overall VFR, no convective activity. As I continued at my reduced speed I hit a wall of turbulence that couldn’t of been worse if I had been in a CB. I pitched to reduce speed even more, then slowly turned back west. Just like the ship in ‘The Final Countdown’ we excited the zone. I tried further South, then a lower altitude to the same destination, same terrible ride. I did the same, gentle turn to exit.

After that we ended up going SW to Hereford, TX, no adverse ride issues. Once in the hotel room I checked some recent pireps, there was a ‘severe’ near where we were, and altitude. I was well below ‘maneuvering speed’ hardly using any controls. I think it was the worst I ever had in a light plane. Yes, should of done my own pirep. I think it was that frontal boundary, which included the big wind shift.
 
It’s that time of year that’s it’s gonna get bumpy. Gotta get up early or stay up late to find the smoother air.
 
Yea these spring gusts are a challenge. I’m a new To TW so I’ve been pretty pussyfooted, I just don’t believe an endorsement makes me a seasoned vet... so gusts have killed more than one nice sunny day so far this spring. I did push myself a bit with some strong gusts other day as they were straight down runway they made it interesting and it went well though I was happy I didn’t have a passenger...
 
ApacheBob! I feel like we haven't seen you here in quite a while. Welcome back! :)
 
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