windshear encounters

[kala87]

I'm interested in finding out if certain UK airfields are more prone to low-level windshear than others.

I had a (relatively uneventful)LLWS encounter recently at Plymouth. Runway in use was 31 and the tower gave the wind as 280/10 if I remember correctly. However, the 2000ft forecast wind was more like 290/30-40. On short final, in a PA-28-161, the approach was stable at 70 kts, full flap. The approach to this runway is well-known for sudden lift followed by sink on short finals due to buildings under the approach path, and a downslope adjacent to the runway end, and I have experienced this effect many times. However, on this occasion we experienced sudden loss of lift and rapid rate of descent, at about 150 ft height. I firewalled the throttle and increased pitch angle, and arrested the rate of descent. Otherwise we probably would have landed heavily in the approach lights. It certainly was 'that sinking feeling'.

There were no CB's or towering Cu anywhere near. It must have been just a low level wind speed change over a narrow band of height, probably made worse by the topographic effect of the buildings under the approach path. I was about to go-around as the approach was unstable, but the remaining runway was perfectly adequate, so re-established and made a normal landing.

This was probably a pretty tame LLWS encounter compared with some that have been recorded, so I would be interested in hearing about them!

[Flying Farmer]

Hi

One more to add to the list is Compton Abbas.

With a wind coming from the South at 10 knots or more and 08 in use it can catch the unwary out big time. I have on more than one occasion encountered some rollover that required full power and cleaning the aircraft up in the final stages of the approach and still be descending or only just maintaining level flight depending on the aircraft. 100 HP C150's the worse offender!! add to that some turbulence and it can be even more fun :}
Makes for an interesting trial lesson :ok:
Found the best way to avoid it was to fly a curved approach and come in rather higher than usual, aiming to touch down slightly further in to the field. Only works at Compton as the problem was a local effect caused by the surrounding terrain.

Flying F