personal wind limits in a spamcan

[piperboy84]

I suppose today being a right windy bugger would be a good day to ask folks what are their personal wind limits for going recreational flying in a spamcan? I mean winds aloft and not xwind limits in the POH.

[Pilot.Lyons]

I remember on one of my lessons the winds were terrible but my instructor would take me up no matter what... After an hour battling circuits i felt physically knackered and my arms and legs ached for days, i didnt enjoy one minute of it. I Cant remember what the winds were but i judge it (i know this may seem silly) by the winds on the trees behind my house.
If the bend a lot i wont rent one that day ;)

[Maoraigh1]

It depends on how current I am with flying in strong winds - and that's in a taildragger.

[foxmoth]

I mean winds aloft and not xwind limits in the POH.

Why would you even have a personal limit for wind aloft - there is a practical limit - this is when the wind aloft exceeds the max cruise of the aircraft, very difficult to get home then if you are returning to your departure point or heading for an upwind destination, but apart from that what is the problem - yes it can be bumpy, but if the air mass is stable you can actually have a smooth ride in surprisingly strong winds?


If you have not tried it, a fun thing in very strong stable winds is a vertical circuit - take off, climb into the headwind, reduce speed to below the headwind so it takes you back behind the touchdown point, lower the nose and land - DO tell ATC in advance though what you are going to do!

[Gertrude the Wombat]

there is a practical limit - this is when the wind aloft exceeds the max cruise of the aircraft
Nearly hit that in a 152 once - it felt like forty minutes out, ten minutes back. Straight down the runway so no problem landing.

[gasax]

Once you start getting overtaken by trucks on a dual carriageway the time is coming to jack it in!

[2high2fastagain]

I take a look at the F214 for winds at 2,000 in the areas I intend to fly (even if I'm planning on going higher).

If it's 30 knots, then I don't take passengers for jollies. In my part of the country where there are hills, it gets pretty rough and they don't get a good experience. (as they say... if it's exciting for you, it's terrifying for them)

If it's 35 knots then I have a long hard think and only go up if the winds are pretty much down the runways I'm flying to and from.

If it's 40 knots, then I go and make a cup of tea.

A shade on the wimpy side perhaps, but I do this for fun.

[taxistaxing]

I'm more worried about gusts than wind strength. If it's a gusting crosswind I'd hesistate to go flying if the winds are above 10 - 15kts (although I have landed in worse).

If its straight down the slot I'd be happy(ish) with a 20kt steady wind, much more than that and you can bank on it being pretty bumpy aloft.

I had one memorable experience last year where I launched into 30 - 40kt winds aloft (worse than forecast). I ended up having to divert as couldn't get back to my home field (the wind direction veered after I'd departed and the cross wind component was way beyond what I'd be comfortable with). It was a good learning experience but far from enjoyable, and not something I'd want to repeat.

[FANS]

Always makes me laugh when I hear of people going up and worrying about winds, especially the x-wind.

You're doing this for enjoyment - not because it's your job and if you're not comfortable just have a cup of tea. It's different for instructors flying every day of the week but some people only fly once a month, i.e. could do 12 landings a year (or less!), and hence it's no surprise they're nervous landing in 15 x-winds.

You'll also spend too much mental power on the wind and not notice you're out of trim or something!

That said, it's a fine balance between the right weather and getting up at all in the UK.

[foxmoth]

and hence it's no surprise they're nervous landing in 15 x-winds.

Yes, but I thought the whole point of this was it is not talking about wind on LANDING, but wind aloft. Also, I agree with the sentiment of doing it for fun so go back and have a cuppa, but we were talking limits here rather than being comfortable, so I think you need to be looking at having flown away, overnight and then wanting to get back, that is when a limit comes in, not when you have gone down for a quick jolly and might decide not to fly because it might be uncomfortable!:}

[FlyingKiwi_73]

I'm cautious of flying in certain area's of NZ when the wind is NW and over say 25 kts at 2000ft.

I normally fly North to South Island which goes past some reasonable lumpy bits (Marlborough Sounds) which can generate allot of turbulence when the wind is just right. The area acts as a Venturi and its not uncommon to see 30-40 kt winds this time of year

I have been flying along in bumpy conditions to have some very nasty gusts which put my 'recovery from unusual attitudes' training to good use, To be honest there have been a few seconds when i have not been in total control of the aircraft.

I try an avoid those types of flights, but sometimes needs must... as last minute commercial flights can be difficult to book.

[taxistaxing]

You're doing this for enjoyment - not because it's your job and if you're not comfortable just have a cup of tea. It's different for instructors flying every day of the week but some people only fly once a month, i.e. could do 12 landings a year (or less!), and hence it's no surprise they're nervous landing in 15 x-winds.



Yep agreed, and the point at which it becomes stressful/frightening is the point at which it stops being fun.

Having said that I do try to push myself to fly in more 'sporting' conditions from time to time, as if you waited for CAVOK and light winds you'd very rarely get to fly at all. Currency is difficult enough to maintain in the UK, as it is, espescially after the abysmal couple of years we've had weather wise.

[cockney steve]

Some years ago, a friend invited my partner to accompany us when we went "playing" at Barton,in a Chief that he had a share in.

Well, he and I had a quick jolly and I duly swapped places with "her indoors"......off they went......after an hour , i'm thinking b :mad: d....he only gives me 15 min's and she doesn't appreciate it and gets a real good long flight!

Light starts to fade.....the familiar sound.....bobs over the hedge and drops straight in,to refuel.
A debrief in private revealed that Preston had been abeam in around 10 minutes....warning bells rang and a prompt 180 saw groundspeed at a minus figure (she thoughy that was a wonderful trick!:\ ) "balls to the wall" and low level between the hills bought a leisurly groundspeed and a constant recalculating whether daylight or fuel would run out first.

We learned a lot about slow taildraggers and strong winds from that!

And, to this day, the Ex. has never found out why she got such preferential treatment:O

[Piper.Classique]

When hill soaring in a glider, not above the no wind approach speed :)
When touring in a cub, headwind not to exceed half cruise speed :) Any reasonable amount of tailwind. As long as I can get wingtip runners to help me taxi, anyway. If not then depends on the state of my wheelbrakes.

I don't fly spamcans.