Originally Posted by
RatherBeFlying
I had a narrow escape from a vortex / downburst combination downwind and 250' above a 50' downslope in about an 18 kt wind aloft.
The shear in a vortex can be twice the wind aloft.
Our glider club is located east of the 8000' Livingstone Range at 3900'.
Wave lift can reach over 30,000'. The sink and rotors are equally powerful.
I had a similar narrow escape flying over Mont Ventoux in Provence, France. My track took me south, 500' over the summit, at which point the the VSI very rapidly went south as I got sucked down the other side. The wx was otherwise benign up to that point and there was no strong Mistral on the day in question but in the mountains things can change very very rapidly. Thankfully I was in an aircraft with enough grunt to get me out of jail but will not forget that day. Sobering stuff.
Thoughts are with the families and friends of the lost pilots and pax. Sad days.