Alexb2000
En-Route
Yesterday when arriving in Taos the winds were not very strong maybe 8-10 gusting to 15-18. The interesting thing was they were swirling around the airport. Listening to the weather machine they were moving 30 degrees every report or just changing direction entirely. Landing became a function of timing the swirl so that you were touching down at a time when the winds were at least somewhat down the runway. When I initially listened at 20 NM out they were 320 at 10 to 15 so I planned runway 4. At 10 miles they had shifted to 060 so I continued for runway 4. On short final for runway 4 I could feel the winds were a tailwind now, so I listened again and checked the sock. 260 at 15. Around we go. Kept listening as I made a loop around to a long final for 22. While outbound the winds went to 350 again favoring runway 4. I still flew the pattern for runway 22 and by the time I was on short final they were about 270 10-15. So I landed uneventfully.
I have encountered this many times in mountain airports never in the flat lands except near a storm front (which is obvious). So I make it a habit of not just checking the weather machine once and coming in, rather I let it play for 10 minutes or so in the descent and see if the winds are shifting.
There was a visiting 172 from CA on the ground listening to all this. They had tried to take off earlier and aborted due to shifting winds. The pilot kicked the passengers, had them drive down to SAF, and then took off right after I landed. Smart move if you're not familiar with the situation.
Here are a few of the weather reports during that timeframe:
SA 12/05/2013 20:55->
METAR KSKX 122055Z AUTO 15008KT 10SM BKN110 22/M02 A3032
RMK AO1 57024=
SA 12/05/2013 20:35->
METAR KSKX 122035Z AUTO 15008G18KT 10SM BKN100 21/M02 A3032
RMK AO1=
SA 12/05/2013 20:15->
METAR KSKX 122015Z AUTO 32006KT 10SM SCT100 22/M03 A3033
RMK AO1=
SA 12/05/2013 19:55->
METAR KSKX 121955Z AUTO 23006KT 200V270 10SM SCT100 22/M03
A3033 RMK AO1=
SA 12/05/2013 19:35->
METAR KSKX 121935Z AUTO 35007G16KT 10SM FEW095 21/M03 A3034
RMK AO1=
SA 12/05/2013 19:15->
METAR KSKX 121915Z AUTO 31009G16KT 210V340 10SM SCT085 20/M02
Hopefully useful information for those that haven't seen kind of thing before.
I have encountered this many times in mountain airports never in the flat lands except near a storm front (which is obvious). So I make it a habit of not just checking the weather machine once and coming in, rather I let it play for 10 minutes or so in the descent and see if the winds are shifting.
There was a visiting 172 from CA on the ground listening to all this. They had tried to take off earlier and aborted due to shifting winds. The pilot kicked the passengers, had them drive down to SAF, and then took off right after I landed. Smart move if you're not familiar with the situation.
Here are a few of the weather reports during that timeframe:
SA 12/05/2013 20:55->
METAR KSKX 122055Z AUTO 15008KT 10SM BKN110 22/M02 A3032
RMK AO1 57024=
SA 12/05/2013 20:35->
METAR KSKX 122035Z AUTO 15008G18KT 10SM BKN100 21/M02 A3032
RMK AO1=
SA 12/05/2013 20:15->
METAR KSKX 122015Z AUTO 32006KT 10SM SCT100 22/M03 A3033
RMK AO1=
SA 12/05/2013 19:55->
METAR KSKX 121955Z AUTO 23006KT 200V270 10SM SCT100 22/M03
A3033 RMK AO1=
SA 12/05/2013 19:35->
METAR KSKX 121935Z AUTO 35007G16KT 10SM FEW095 21/M03 A3034
RMK AO1=
SA 12/05/2013 19:15->
METAR KSKX 121915Z AUTO 31009G16KT 210V340 10SM SCT085 20/M02
Hopefully useful information for those that haven't seen kind of thing before.