Storm Gertrude

[The_Steed]

I flew ABZ > KOI on Friday morning (BE6832) and it was pretty blowy to the point where it was actually quite difficult to walk from the plane to the terminal building after we landed. The chat was the wind was blowing around 75mph.

Coming back KOI > ABZ on Saturday (BE6835) and just for a change, a lovely crosswind component on the go in Aberdeen. Again though, pretty blowy.

So...

On the off-chance that either of the crews are reading this (or anyone knows them) just how bad was the weather on Fri/ Sat on a scale of 1 to 10?

There have been a few stories on here recently with some incidents involving Loganair, so I just wanted to say that I was very impressed with them and in particular the skill of the pilots. They got us there and back on time despite the weather and made landing in what I thought were pretty challenging conditions look very easy.

[CaptainProp]

Yes, strong winds and gusts for sure.

METAR EGPA 290850Z 25032G44KT 8000 -SHRA SCT010 SCT019 07/04 Q0973 RESHRA=

METAR EGPA 301150Z 23029G45KT 4100 SHRAGS FEW007 BKN012CB BKN022 04/02 Q0976=

METAR EGPD 301150Z 25015G27KT 210V290 9999 FEW035 04/M03 Q0987 NOSIG=

CP

[Doors to Automatic]

With gusts like that it is all down to runway orientation at the respective airports as to whether a landing can be completed.

AT KOI the runway is 27 (270 degrees or so) so a wind from 230 degrees gives a 40 degree crosswind. Up to 60 degrees the component is calculated, beyond 60 the whole windspeed is considered.

So for the worst of the forecasts where the wind is gusting 230 at 45kts the calculation would be 40/60 x 45 kts = 30kts. This would be close to limits for most airlines.

At Aberdeen the runway is 340 degrees so a wind from 250 degrees would be a direct 90 degree crosswind. The forecast below shows a steady wind of 15kts with gust to 27kts so both probably within limits.

[EpsilonVaz]

Was 41 gusting 59 when I departed from INV, waited 20 mins on the runway waiting for a moment of relative calmness. It was raining so heavily I was concerned about traction.

[ExXB]

Surely ABZ has a conveyer belt. :p

[WHBM]

You have to wonder how Aberdeen has managed to get away for so long with a runway at right angles to the prevailing wind.

[Hotel Tango]

You have to wonder how Aberdeen has managed to get away for so long with a runway at right angles to the prevailing wind.

What about Birmingham then? Same problem and the source of many crosswind landing videos.