Upset/Unusual Attitude Recovery xpost

etsisk

etsisk

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Got into some funky wind yesterday, got torqued around into an 80* bank to the right (while it also felt as if the plane were being pulled out from under me to the left, just slick as ice) several times yesterday... at around 450 feet, just off the departure end of 05L at RDU. They only have one active r/w at the moment, so I was making a gentle right turn to 120 (1/2 std rate) when it happened. Then it happened again a couple of times after that when I wasn't turning, and there was a fair bit of unexpected turbulence. Then all calmed down (in time for me to get my butt back on the ground... ).

Soooo, for some reason I find myself thinking about unusual attitude recovery training. Gosh, just out of the blue, apparently.

There's someone here that provides it, right? Y'all know of any other places that do? Should I find myself upside down, I'd like to have some better options than just screaming like a 9 year old girl (hasn't happened yet, but ya never know... )
 
what was the surface wind and winds aloft? strong weather in the area? sounds exciting!
 
surface winds were variable :rolleyes: shifting around up to 100*, 5 to 11 kts. Wind at 3K was nothing to speak of that I know about 250 6kts (or something like that - don't remember what exactly). The day was actually pretty calm, not too hot, NO storms/"weather" to speak of, a bit of puffy cu at 9k' or 10k'.

It was entirely unexpected - no reason at all that *I* knew about to think it would happen. Just a short spurt of attitudinal insanity, then it calmed down. :confused:
 
etsisk said:
surface winds were variable :rolleyes: shifting around up to 100*, 5 to 11 kts. Wind at 3K was nothing to speak of that I know about 250 6kts (or something like that - don't remember what exactly). The day was actually pretty calm, not too hot, NO storms/"weather" to speak of, a bit of puffy cu at 9k' or 10k'.

It was entirely unexpected - no reason at all that *I* knew about to think it would happen. Just a short spurt of attitudinal insanity, then it calmed down. :confused:
Click to expand...

What were the winds aloft at 3 and 6k?

I ask this because Chapel Hill is pretty close to some serious terrain to the west. Very often L&V at the surface gives no hint to the tempest above.

We have similar problems here when the wind blows from the east or southeast across the Alleghenies. One night I took off for a short night sightseeing local flight. Local surface winds were reported L&Var at 4 knots.

Yet at 200' AGL the airplane started 40-50 degree uncommanded rolls -- I kept the gear down (this was an A36 Bonanza), and made a very gentle turn to the west, away from the ridge while climbing 10 knots over Vy.

The return trip was bumpy, but a lead-sled descent cut through most of the chop. The touchdown was gentle and easy -- no wind at the surface.

I checked ADDS again -- winds aloft were forecast the be 57 knots at 3000 feet!

Those tremendous winds were so strong the surface winds were light in the immediate lee of that long 2200' ridge. 200' up it was a different story.
 
No additional training required, just come to Gastons; that's exactly what it was like in some areas of the valley all weekend!
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
No additional training required, just come to Gastons; that's exactly what it was like in some areas of the valley all weekend!
Click to expand...
That is true...Gastons 2008 was a bit heavy on the wind. All the previous Gastons fly-ins that I've attended have all had smooth air with hot temperatures and little wind.
 
Sounds like mine and Felix's approaches into Santa Fe and Mountain Home.

Glad everything worked out for ya Tom.
 
etsisk said:
surface winds were variable :rolleyes: shifting around up to 100*, 5 to 11 kts. ... NO storms/"weather" to speak of, a bit of puffy cu at 9k' or 10k'.
Click to expand...

ah ha. sounds like a great soaring day, in fact i went back to the soaring forecasts yesterday and it looked like north carolina had a killer day yesterday. that could explain it. one wing brushes the side of a 500 fpm updraft while the other side is in the sinking air surrounding it.
 
Consequent to terrain, light winds can produce excitement. Sometimes the wind direction can be more meaningful than the wind speed.


It's good you are thinking of upset training.
 
Yeah, well it was upsetting! :D

Tony, it could have been that - or else some left over, drifting wake turbulence. Beats me.

Thanks for the links, y'all! :yes:
 
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