Agreed Bentleg, The wind was from 350 and gusting as you described.
I asked the question was the grass left available, unicom response was "YES....for taxiing" so why the F### was he not requesting that be used for exactly that and 36 for departures. After all he held up the line up for the Red Rockets to use 36, them RAAFies cant be taking a 120 degree quartering tailwind now can they
.
The full length of the Grass Left 36 was available. I do not recall any notes about it not being for use, it was used in simops all day, the gliders use it all year round, and if you ask me, the
three tail draggers I saw use it were the only smart ones there. The rest of us dummies followed the leader.
The pilot and owner of the plane I flew in with was not happy at all in the line up for 23 and watching the wind sock......he politely asked me if I would do the departure.
Taxiing should have been on grass left for 23 for those that wanted it and 36 for departures NW-N-NE-E, and 23 for the rest.
