Key words are "pilot capability".

Lets look at the situation from a different point of view.

If the POH said that max demonstrated crosswind was 50 knots (limit after which you lost rudder authority) would you feel safe and legal trying to land with 45 knots across if you weren't used to crosswinds exceeding 15 knots?

Another key perspective is gusts.

20 knots steady is one challenge, 15 gusting 25 another.

Give me the former anyday.

I had 17 gusting 32 in the PA32 once. That was pretty hairy when I was 6 up in the aircraft.

F3G,

The thing to remember his is that you may not know what the gust factor is.

By ICAO convention, only gusts which are 10kts or more above the mean wind speed in a certain period (I think it's the previous 10 minutes) are reported.

So while you might be happy with 20kts, but not happy 15kts gusting 25, the 15kts gusting 25kts could actually be much better! This is because the 20kts could easily be 20kts gusting 29kts, in which case the gust factor won't be reported, becuase it's less than 10kts over the mean wind speed!

dp

The reason Cessna and others use this wording is because of fear of being sued. If someone lost it in less than the stated limit then there was room for the manufacturer being "done" under the ridiculously litigeous American legal system.

So they changed it to this wooly advisory limit. The key is though, don't push your capabilities. If you aren't used to big winds, then go and have a cup of tea and when they drop a bit, get out and practice but make sure you have someone with you who can handle it!

Dublin Pilot

I was talking about actual conditions not interpreting forecasts.

The difference is pretty obvious when you are flying the approach.

F3G,

I'm not talking about forecasts either, but observations passed from either ATIS or passed from the tower.

If you're able to decide that you're comfortable from either the seat of your pants, or from the wind sock then that's fine.....and I suppose as an experienced pilot you should be.

I'm just surprised when people start to say that they find one particular set of numbers acceptable, but another not acceptable, but yet the acceptable ones may actually be more severe than the unacceptable ones ;)

I'm sure you know what I mean, but I often suspect people don't really understand what is being reported to them when they get a wind report ;)

dp

A lot can depend on how frequently you are flying and how well attuned you are to the a/c handling. Just got back to gliders after the winter break and my landings in one type are not yet as good as they were last November.

The fun part of landing in strong winds is dealing with the sheer. I still remember approaching a strip in a 20+ kt. crosswind that suddenly disappeared as I came below the tops of the 30' spruce trees:uhoh:

Dublinpilot

I see where you are coming from, but I was literally talking about the conditions.

Stick, feet, sock, visual (smoke, grass and standing crop etc) all help as you say.

The roughest day I ever flew on was only gusting up to 23 knots (I watched the anenometer before and after the flight), but it threw the SA120 all over the place, since there was quite some variation in wind direction, too.

The Bulldog had more than enough rudder authority to handle 23 knots (and it was not all cross either), but it was a rough old day.

If qnyone is interested
 

A C172 h quiet easily handles a crosswind of 25kts gusting 36kts.

I had to land in those conditions at Lille last night. Tha TAF lied and the winds did not drop off like predicted, they got stronger!