Crosswind Limits

[Pilot DAR]

DFC,

design complaince evaluation flying Love it, Must remember that in future.

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Yeah, I'm not quite sure what it takes to be proper in refering to one's self as a "test pilot", but I'm not there yet. I just fly the modified aircraft, evaluate the design change, and demonstrate that it still complies with the design requirements. If I like it, I recommend it for approval. It works though, all of my programs have been approved, with only one being reflown by a government test pilot as a double check...

Now, if I could get the pilots to actually read, and pay attention to the Flight Manual Supplements and limitation placards I issue for the mods....

Cheers, Pilot DAR

[IFMU]

Originally Posted by Contacttower

All I can say is that you're a braver man than I...

Actually, I was just about scared to death. I was maybe a 30 or 40 hour student pilot on a cross country, Flew up to Great Barrington where it is a bit more hilly, and the weather there was a lot gustier and bumpier. I turned base and the turbulence turned me back on downwind. I ran out of aileron a few times in the turbulence. But close to the ground, the turbulence went away and it just resolved into the 20kt crosswind. I learned to fly on a n-s hardtop runway with prevailing westerly winds. So that part wasn't so bad. The left wing was mighty low. It was hard to taxi. But I was glad to be out of the airplane for a half hour. I never thought about just turning back and heading for home, partly because I was fixated on the solo x-c mission that I was there to perform. But mostly because I wanted out of the airplane for a little bit.

Since then I've got more experience under my belt. I would land a cub series aircraft in big crosswinds like that again. Usually the only time I seem to fly in those big winds are when I'm tugging gliders. If I didn't have a good reason I probably wouldn't go.

Crosswind is fun. It's all fun. That's why I fly.

-- IFMU