Doug G. Posted August 17, 2013 Report Share Posted August 17, 2013 I called off a trip to a pancake breakfast today because the TAF was predicting 20kts gusting to 26kts. The direction would have made the landing OK, but I was concerned about taxiing. I know the standard drill on how to place the ailerons and stabilator and have never had a wing lift, but I am curious about when you folks start getting worried about the wind on the ground - what are your personal maximums for ground ops? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
josjonkers Posted August 18, 2013 Report Share Posted August 18, 2013 Always tricky once over 20 to 25 kts. It is more the gusts I am worried about while taxiing. Once I had an upset not wind related. I had landed at Page , Arizona to the North and vacated the rwy. While taxiing to the apron I passed behind the apron directly tom the west of the txw and just the moment I passed on behind the Challenger jet that I thought was parked there, he decided to throttle up for taxi while announcing at the same time on the radio and lifted my left wing and my right wing struck the pavement and almost blew me over. The ramp guy in his golfcart was rushing over to marshal me and had seen it all and thought for sure it would have blown me over. After inspection there was a barely noticeable scrape on the pointy bottom of the right tip. My guess is a side wind gust would and easily could do something like this no problem and you are out of options to counter it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Lee Posted August 18, 2013 Report Share Posted August 18, 2013 I have been in numerous 20-25 and have never had an issue with landings or taxi. Just taxi slow and use common sense with the stick position. I use zero flaps for landings (with power to the ground which gives great control over the tail surfaces) and take offs in high winds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Meade Posted August 18, 2013 Report Share Posted August 18, 2013 20G26 would have given me pause for thought. When things are at the edge, such as this, I sometimes look for trends. I look for forecasts before and after the time I'll be there and also upwind of the airport I'm flying to. If the trend was improving I'd feel better. If the forecast for an hour after my landing time was 26G30, it would tell me things are likely to get worse and if the front moves faster than forecast it could already be there when I arrive. I think trend helps one decide the close calls, such as this one was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug G. Posted August 18, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2013 20G26 was the predicted for the return trip and since it was morning it was increasing. As it turned out I could have made the trip it didn't get that strong until late in the afternoon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Cesnalis Posted August 18, 2013 Report Share Posted August 18, 2013 Velocity, heading, gust factor and variable from heading x to heading y is often not enough info. If I'm on the ground I want to watch the sock and in most cases I won't depart because I'm safe on the ground. If the approach feels good I'll do the landing but not necessarily the turn off the runway. I've radio'd for linemen to hold my wings and I've taken off rather than turn off and taxi as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CT4ME Posted August 19, 2013 Report Share Posted August 19, 2013 I did 28G38 in Twin Falls ID. Pretty much down the runway for the landing... and taxi wasn't that bad. Now, keeping the doors open, and keeping everything from flying out of the cockpit... that was something else. I did have people coming over the next day, wanting to see who the crazy person was... wx report for airport 9/20/2009 5pm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug G. Posted August 19, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2013 This was a take-off decision, but if I would have gone then there would have been a whole lot more temptation to make the return trip...after all it was only about 45 min. away. In that 29G38 were you 90 degrees to the wind in taxi? My situation would have put me that way when I came back - if I would have left. I have done G21 before without problems. Don't think I would want to chance G38! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CT4ME Posted August 19, 2013 Report Share Posted August 19, 2013 I purposely picked KTWF as the destination because it had a cross wind runway. 'had to go 90 degrees to the wind several times as taxiways are 90. Taxied around for a while, looking for parking. I probably wouldn't have done the trip if I'd KNOWN, but was on the way back to Phoenix from Seattle... it was 5pm and time to land. 'Turned out to be no big deal and I'm now OK with 25-30 kts taxiing as a easy minimum, more in a pinch. Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C ICEY Posted August 19, 2013 Report Share Posted August 19, 2013 Got caught by 30kt surface winds in Kelowna BC once. Phone call said manageable winds at home in Nelson. We were parked straight into the wind and requested taxi straight to the windward threshold, and took off on the last two hundred feet of a 6000' runway, ahead of a 737 at the far end. Fun for us and the controllers. " are you sure that is enough?" we had plenty of runway to spare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Meade Posted August 19, 2013 Report Share Posted August 19, 2013 I wonder where the name Kelowna comes from. We have a Kalona nearby, maybe biblical, I'm not sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C ICEY Posted August 19, 2013 Report Share Posted August 19, 2013 Kelowna. local native name (Okanagan) for grizzly bear. Excellent wine country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
josjonkers Posted August 19, 2013 Report Share Posted August 19, 2013 Kelowna. local native name (Okanagan) for grizzly bear. Excellent wine country. Let's just agree it is wine country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GravityKnight Posted August 20, 2013 Report Share Posted August 20, 2013 Taxied in wind gusting to 34 knots once (landed in 24 knots, and within 30 seconds it picked up, we heard someone ask for a wind check and about crapped our pants)... the plane was skidding sideways across the taxiway. It wasn't pleasant. I was still getting my license and had my instructor there at the time so he took over (it's his butt if something goes wrong when he's there). It took us quite a while to get back to the hanger... I wasn't worried for our safety, but I was worried we might put a wing in the dirt and damage the plane. He was proud of me, I called the hanger folks and asked them to come out and push us in the hanger before we get out, thinking the extra weight probably would make the difference. Glad to have experienced it... not looking to do it again though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug G. Posted August 20, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 20, 2013 Yeah, that is another part of the issue - weathervaning in strong winds on the ground, especially if you are light, can make the taxi difficult. Keeping as much pressure on the Nobel as you can is essential. In a direct crosswind the flight controls are not able to do much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.