Too windy to fly?

[Ashman001]

Can someone let me know when it is too dangerous to fly, specifically when it comes to wind.  Today's weather is calling for 22km/h winds with gust of 32km/h.  Is this too windy to fly especially on training days?

Ash

[Papa]

Check out the training post and the CFI or a delegate will make that call for you.


Jack.

[Frank v B]

re: Ash's comment "Is this too windy to fly especially on training days?"


My opinion will probably not be shared by everyone.... but here I go:


In my opinion many people are too chicken to fly on windy days.  I will guarantee you will learn more flying/training on windy days that you will on 3 low wind days.  Ask Malcolm who I asked to get ready to fly on a super windy day... after he said "no" and had 3 great flights and learned a ton.


Look at the benefits:
- low ground speed for take-off
- low ground speed (if any) for landing


Once you are in the air, the plane is unaffected by wind.  What usually makes a windy day challenging is wind gusts.


Here is what I teach on windy days:
1)  Place the plane halfway down the runway. Do not taxi from the taxiways because your plane will flip as you turn 90 degrees to the wind.  I place the plane on the middle of the runway halfway down the length for safety.  Do not start at the beginning of the runway.  This is for the safety of the other pilots at the other stations.
2) Take off directly into the wind even if you have to take off across the runway.  If you are a few degrees off a dead upwind take-off your plane will flip.  Have a helper hold the tail if necessary.
3) Throttle up smartly to full throttle.  Do not slowly advance the throttle.
4) Fly at higher than normal speeds to avoid a stall on the downwind leg.  You think you are going fast downwind, do not be fooled.  Speed is in relation to the wind and not the ground.  On an Apprentice which flies well at 60% throttle on a calm day should be flown at least at 75% throttle.
5) Do most flying on the upwind half of the field just in case the batteries craps out.   You can bring the plane back.  If you fly in the downwind half, you will not be able to bring it back.  That's why glider pilots always fly upwind of the pilot station.
6) Land at higher than normal throttle and try to anticipate the oscillations so you touch down on the bottom of the oscillation.
7) Do not taxi back to the pits.  Pick up the plane from where it lands but call your moves onto the field.


For those people who feel I am trying to encourage people to walk planes on and off the runway/field... absolutely... because it is safe.  As long as you call your moves and let other pilots know you will be safe.  But of course no-one else will be flying.  Everyone else will have chickened out.


I have flown my small 14" span Pitts  (4 oz) in 30 mile an hour winds when people said "you are not going to fly that in this wind?"  Yep.  It is flying at 30 mph when released from your hands and lands at full throttle with zero ground speed.


Frank