gust spread question
 

just a quick question about wind gust spreads. it's been two decades since i worked with rotorcraft, but a question just occurred to me today due to the extreme weather we've been experiencing of late (just recently in the south and the northeast where i reside). what is or was the maximum safe gust spread for the old two-bladed jet rangers and long rangers, and also dauphins and a-stars? i seem to remember 40, but that seems extreme. thanks in advance for your answers.

Many operators limit the operation of their helicopters to 15 knots or less gust.

Maximum 40 knots, with a 15 knot gust spread is a common limit for many operators, but I don't know of an RFM limitation. The maximum wind speed, and the gust spread, may be lower in some cases, depending on the pad, the obstructions around it, and the location of the helicopter on the pad.

The RFM wind limits (if any) usually relate to rotor start or stop. This is because of the flexing of the blades during low RPM rotation in gusts and the risk of hitting something (like the tail).

Eastsidewillie - just to clarify, do you mean the maximum steady and gusting wind speeds for rotor start/stop or do you mean the maximum gust above the mean wind speed in flight?