Taking off in crosswinds
 

Was at Stansted the other day, fairly breezy crosswinds, and noticed a number of different techniques adopted when taking off to account for the weather. The one that grabbed my attention was Ryanairs pilots seemed to adopt the "gun it" approach to taking off, eg. put your foot down and blast through the wind!!

My question is, does there come a point where if taking off in crosswinds you can be going too fast?

Take off speeds are not normally adjusted for 'crosswinds'. So, no.

If there were also a windshear alert in effect, they may adjust VR and V2 upward. In general, that could put V2 as high as V2 for max T/O weight, even at light weights.

Not in my 737 book, Intruder - which a/c are you talking about? The only Boeing 737 advice is to consider using a less-reduced power setting in windshear conditions, and I read the enquiry as a general 'Vr' question I think?

Boeing's 737 NG advice is as follows:

747. The OPS computer system does that when we put windshear into the takeoff performance calculaton.

I think you simly witnessed higher power being used for take-off if windshear warnings were in effect. Perhaps shorter, light load legs with higher power? Nothing unusual.

Thanks for that everyone, just asked out of curiosity!

As a petrified flyer I like to know what I can scare myself with next time I get on a plane!! :E