Too windy?
 

Hi there, just one question from mr.PPL:

Its been quite windy here up north, and i was looking through the METREPORT for BIKF (Keflavik, Iceland):

METAR BIKF 102200Z 13049G72KT 8000 RA OVC019 04/03 Q0988= :eek:

Well, then i noticed that IcelandExpress (operated by Hello Ag) have two arrivals from Europe to BIKF tonight, FHE 134 from Schoenefeld and FHE 276 from Barcelona, both are operated by MD-90

So here is my question: Can you safely operate an MD-90 (or any mid size jet) in these conditions? And if so where is the limit?

cheers


ps. no wonder why the 777 and A380 did their x-w tests up here :}

Runway 11 is available which is roughly 20 degrees out of wind which ball park gives you a crosswind component of 33% of the met wind i.e. a cross wind component of 16Kts Gusting 24 kts.

It would be exciting but yes you can safely operate in those winds.

well if i were a SLF, i wouldn't be excited :\ must be pretty turbulent from those mountains...

but thanks overtemp :O

I could take that any day in the Bulldog....max demo xw 35kts!

In those sort of winds, if you can land in it there might be more limiting factors on the ground. I think the 737 has a limit of 60kt including gusts above which you cannot open the doors.

Contacttower... I strongly urge you to take note of the comment by A Very Civil Pilot. It's one thing to get the aeroplane onto the runway in any sort of crosswind conditions, but it's quite another to taxy it from the runway to the arrival gate or even just the apron. The lighter the aeroplane, the greater the problem can be.

Don't forget to turn the true (reported) wind into magnetic (compare with r/w) wind when calculating the crosswind values.
It makes a difference in this case!

Contacttower

I can second OzExpat's and a very civil pilot's sentiments, having personally witnessed a light aircraft that was taxiing getting blown over in strong wind at an airfield I used to work at.

Also worth noting that in these conditions groundspeed would only be about 90kts giving a lot more time for reactions.

don't forget rwy is wet!!
don't know the maddog, but normally lower limits shoud apply!

Some years ago I saw a C152 land in very strong winds, but within x-wind limit. After he touched down and came to a stop he waited on the runweay until a firetruck came out and acted as a moving windbreak to allow him to taxi in.

I was joking! :ugh:

I wouldn't really take the Bulldog out in that wind...having said that though presumably the day the test pilot did he managed to taxi from the parking to the runway.

Saw a DC-3 once at ZRH, long time ago, who arrived on 28 in brisk wind, gusty but mostly on the nose.

Problem was, he didn't seem to be able to (or maybe decided he didn't want to) bring the tail down, so the aircraft flew there in place until a heavy tug could get out to anchor him for sure.

Operating in winds gusting to 72 knots is safe? That is around 140 km/h or hurricane strength winds. I wonder what kind of solid objects are blowing around with winds that strong. Pieces from the local roofs maybe or who knows what else.

Well punkalouver, if they ever tried a passenger evacuation in those conditions I expect the escape slides would become part of the mix. :uhoh:

Oh - have I completely forgotten all about met theory? Are metar winds not magnetic?

PS: I have never really given a damn until now, having only flown in areas where variation is less than +/-2degrees

Edit:
Disregard - I have already found a good answer elsewhere on this informative forum http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=300546

Nope. ATIS & ATC report Magnetic .Unless you are in N Canada-compass unreliable area-if memory serves me correct, in which case it will be reported as True as well.

Used to operate to LSI (Sumburgh, Shetland Is.) and regularly got winds like those. Scary when you did your first one for the winter, but then, a breeze, so to speak! The hard part was, as intimated earlier, after landing. Getting the pax and the bags etc off was an interesting exercise. The locals were ok-they were used to walking at 45degrees, and not too many tourists in the winter.....

metar reports are magnetic, Area forecasts aren't

I am soooo happy I aint flying in and out of BIRK anymore... :E


(just for info.. the runway in BIRK is made of such a super-duper material, it is never WET.. ever.. )

I've operated in up to 70 knots, within the flight manual limits, without problems. I've also operated light aircraft well beyond their 'demonstrated' crosswind components, again, without problems. :eek:

If you need to do it, you may be able to, safely. IF you know what you're doing... :p