How strong is the wind?

[Tumbleweed]

I think placing a definative wind strength as a cut-off to fly is impractical.

My nearest quoted weather stations are too far away to be accurate. We have the (only) benefit of Sasol 3 next to our strip, and often smoke stacks and chimneys show different wind direction and strenghts at different heights.

Often circuit height is gusty - breezy and air pockets, but if you climb higher into a constant wind, you become part of it. The only difference is your ground speed.

It's amazing how after returning from a rough 'gat stamp' turbulent cross country, no matter how bad the circuit conditions, the moment you join in, the landings always seem easy.

[gertcoetzee]

See my post of today. (www.zu-dve.com) A year ago I would have %#%$# myself in this wind. When I did my first cross country as I got to the east of Paardeberg I was thrown around a bit, got Sh%t scared and made a U turn. I think instructors should take pupils up in weather that they feel comfortable in, just to make this point. Everyone talks about stretching the envelope - but how much can one stretch?

[Rob F]

I use an airfield with multiple runways, to practice crosswind takeoffs and landings. You then have more of choice as to the crosswind component you want to attempt. Try a few approaches, if all is good, put it down, if unsure go arround. You then also have the security of landing on a runway into the wind.

[Tumbleweed]

I think the wind will decide which day it'll push that envelope.

Sunday 17h30, after typical highveld downpour, notice a slight easterly has blown the mucky weather away.

Take off for a 10 mile radius cruise. heading westerly, aware of the wind's easterly direction from the various dams e.t.c. and air temp 21 degrees.

Slowly turning northwards, I recognise a contractor's house and whilst making mental notes to return tomorrow and dump a bag of 3 inch nails on his house.

Dum dee dumm,........ slowly turn south east and notice ugly little clouds zooting northwards under me. As I look up, the western sky has turned black and the sudden wind bolts me into action. (Why am I always the only one flying, and where are the birds?)

One mile from circuit, announce my radio call, altitude of 6000 ft. Suddenly a wack,massive thermal, 'weee', followed by 'Oh sh$t' I was been lifted nose up. Bar in, bank right, I gain control. Temp is now 14 degrees and altitude 6 400 ft.

Approaching finals, serious gusty 90 degree crosswind, low and fast (60 mph) I'm crabbing over the grass runway and still have over 600m left so waiting for the wind swirl to give me a gap to descend the last 10 metres.

Have never battled like this to maintain level and as I descend, I get chucked down the last metre with such force my feet shoot off the foot rests.

As I pass the windsock, it's 'stock styf' and swivelling like the heads of centre- line spectators at Wimbledon and anyway could'nt give it the finger coz I was wrestling just holding the bar trying to taxi to the hangar.

Closing the hangar door, best smoke in years, and that sky, ....would have grounded NASA.

Stirred, but not shaken. Eish.