Windy windy windy

[phnuff]

I was a passenger on a bearded Airbus 340 into Dulles at about 15:10 (eastern) yesterday afternoon (13th) and heck was it windy. A very bumpy and memorable approach was followed by a landing which was a non event i.e. greased on the the tarmac.

Apart from being well impressed by the landing, I am curious exactly what the wind was at the time and I guess what was the runway orientation? It felt like a substantial crosswind componant.

What cross winds can a 340 handle ??

[skyrabbit]

A340?.....Saab 340??.....Cessna 340???.....Convair 340????

Rabbs

[phnuff]

Skyrabbit - sorry . Airbus. Have amended post.

[Sheep Guts]

Me too phnuff. We departed Dulles at 1440 in a Delta 757 as apax, and it was very windy. It was windy and bumpy all the way to Atlanta where it was around 25-20knots across the strip well that what the wind sock looked like. We tried all levels between Dulles and Atlanta and no change. It was bumpy for evryone yesterday.



Sheep

[Mark Lewis]

Same here in the UK. Gusts of up to 45 knots in places.

[BALIX]

Well, dontch know! Whilst you were landing at IAD, I was queueing up at the check-in for a flight out of the place, watching with interest the inbound approach. Probably saw your flight.

IAD were on single runway operations yesterday which seemed to involve making an approach for one of the parallel mains followed by a split-arse turn at the last minute to line up and land on the cross wind runway. Quite impressive whenever the inbound was a wide body, even from the main terminal which must have been over a mile from that runway.

Our flight out on a bmi A330 was delayed a bit by the fact that only one runway was in use. When we did get off we were blown about a bit but only until we were out of about 5000 feet. Later, over Newfoundland at FL410, we were bounced around like a, erm, big bouncing around type of thing as we passed over the weather system that had preluded the strong winds further west.

[phnuff]

Balix
I saw the BMI arrive as I was on the odd bus thing that moves pax around the terminals at IAD - about a mile taxi in sounds about right. I trust BMI looked after you well!!

Amazing - prooner's everywhere ain't they !!

[quid]

Landing in KBOS this morning, the winds were 320/31. I talked to another pilot who had 190 kts at altitude.

[McD]

Yep, I also heard a report of 190 knots at altitude (great if you're going that direction!)

I don't know the A340's crosswind limit, but it's probably around 30 knots, as a WAG.

Steady-state surface winds were around 30-35 knots, depending on your exact location, with frequent gusts of 45 knots and greater. Obviously a problem if the predominant runways are perpendicular to the wind direction, hence the single runway ops if there's only one runway in a more favorable direction.

[phnuff]

What ever the wind (& A340 x wind limits are), as a ppl, I was just really impressed by the skills of the guys up the pointy end. With that wind, if I had put a PA28 down with anything like that lack of fuss, I would have been floating on air for weeks.

Thanks

[seacue]

WX data for DCA, which probably wasn't as windy as IAD:

13 Nov 03 (all in mph, not knots)

13:51 EST N35 G47
14:51 EST NW31 G48
15:51 EST NW23 G37
16:51 EST NW24 G39
17:51 EST NW24 G32

I live across the river from IAD in Maryland and my electricity was off for almost three hours during that time period.

[Johnman]

The demonstrated XW limit for the A340 was 27Kts gusting 33 kts.
METAR KIAD 131651Z 30036G44KT 10SM SCT065 09/M08 A2979 RMK AO2 PK WND 29044/1651 SLP089 T00891083
METAR KIAD 131651Z 30036G44KT 10SM SCT065 09/M08 A2979
METAR KIAD 131751Z 27028G40KT 10SM FEW065 SCT140 08/M10 A2979 RMK AO2 PK WND 30045/1654 SLP088 T00831100 10094 20072 50003
METAR KIAD 131851Z 30031G40KT 10SM FEW070 08/M09 A2981 RMK AO2 PK WND 29041/1809 SLP094 T00781094
I guess
Runway 30 was in use
Dimensions: 10501 x 150 ft. / 3201 x 46 m