Turbulence...

[flygirl34q]

Well, it's been a bit windy here in the cornfields of Illinois and last Wednesday I went to Chicago to celebrate a friend's birthday. Winds were 200 at 25-30 and gusts 35-40. Both my destination airport and the home 'drome have runways on the cardinal headings, so the landings weren't a huge deal , but the bumps getting there sure do make you sit up, pay (lots) of attention, and make you have your act together in the pattern!

I didn't even realize THIS had happened to my "junk in the trunk" purple tote until I was back at home and went to the back to retreive my towbar to put my airplane away! I reran the entire flight(s) in my head (as we all do) and know when it must have happened... on climbout on the outbound flight to Chicago I went through a pocket of turbulence that was greater than the others I was getting that day... I remember hitting my head against the top of the airplane and hearing a big THUD from the back. After the usual CRAP! reaction and looking out at both the left and right wings to reassure myself that they were both still there and functional, I finished my flight. When I landed, I noticed that the contents of the seat back pockets had thrown themselves onto the back seats and my airplane cover had dislodged itself from the hat-rack shelf in the luggage compartment. (I fly a Piper Archer). The tote must have somehow become airborne on it's own back there and slammed back into the floor or sides of the airplane hard enough to split it into pieces. I didn't restore order right then... friends were waiting for me... but I sure had a bigger mess to clean up when I did finally get to it. I'm sad about my purple junk tote... everything in my hangar is color-coordinated to match my airplane... but that is another shopping adventure, I guess. I'm just glad that airplanes are built tougher than plastic totes from Target! Ugh.

Anybody else have a turbulence story to tell??

 

[Sac Arrow]

Wow, ouch! That was like my bike ride last Saturday! Glad you made it in one piece. Hope your airplane is okay!

 

[Kiloalphadriver]

Well, it's been a bit windy here in the cornfields of Illinois and last Wednesday I went to Chicago to celebrate a friend's birthday. Winds were 200 at 25-30 and gusts 35-40. Both my destination airport and the home 'drome have runways on the cardinal headings, so the landings weren't a huge deal , but the bumps getting there sure do make you sit up, pay (lots) of attention, and make you have your act together in the pattern!

I didn't even realize THIS had happened to my "junk in the trunk" purple tote until I was back at home and went to the back to retreive my towbar to put my airplane away! I reran the entire flight(s) in my head (as we all do) and know when it must have happened... on climbout on the outbound flight to Chicago I went through a pocket of turbulence that was greater than the others I was getting that day... I remember hitting my head against the top of the airplane and hearing a big THUD from the back. After the usual CRAP! reaction and looking out at both the left and right wings to reassure myself that they were both still there and functional, I finished my flight. When I landed, I noticed that the contents of the seat back pockets had thrown themselves onto the back seats and my airplane cover had dislodged itself from the hat-rack shelf in the luggage compartment. (I fly a Piper Archer). The tote must have somehow become airborne on it's own back there and slammed back into the floor or sides of the airplane hard enough to split it into pieces. I didn't restore order right then... friends were waiting for me... but I sure had a bigger mess to clean up when I did finally get to it. I'm sad about my purple junk tote... everything in my hangar is color-coordinated to match my airplane... but that is another shopping adventure, I guess. I'm just glad that airplanes are built tougher than plastic totes from Target! Ugh.

Anybody else have a turbulence story to tell??

Hi Lynn,

It's always a good idea to use a cargo net or seat belt to secure lose items.

Years ago, I walked into our flight club one morning and one of my fellow instructors had a black eye and fresh stitches.

He and another CFI had taken a plane up over the foothills to photograph (he was the non-flying) some land. While the camera was resting around his neck, they hit a severe jolt and the camera flew up, hit him in the face, and knocked him out!!

 

[murphey]

My junk box is green to match the airplane, too. But it's always strapped down in the baggage area. Learned that lesson a long time ago.