Crazy evening winds....

J

Jthamilton

Line Up and Wait
Joined
May 31, 2012
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616
Location
Steamboat Springs, CO
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Display name:
Okie182
So just moved this year to northern Colorado. I learned to fly in Oklahoma where you avoid middle of the day due to heat. Evening presented nice calm winds and beautiful sunsets.

Well that has changed, so many times I have been sitting on patio and out of the blue the winds come up.

Tonight had great evening not a hint of wind at outdoor bar listening to music at base of ski mountain. Kept thinking what a night to do have done some flying? Get home and at 8:45 wind starts up, minimal clouds in sky. Initially 16 gusting to 21, 30 minutes later almost completely dark and it was 23 gusting to 30 at KSBS. Currently almost 10 PM, winds are 22 gusts to 32.

Amazing, really makes one consider those evening flights and importance of securing the plane when left out at night!
 
Jthamilton said:
Tonight had great evening not a hint of wind at outdoor bar listening to music at base of ski mountain. Kept thinking what a night to do have done some flying? Get home and at 8:45 wind starts up, minimal clouds in sky. Initially 16 gusting to 21, 30 minutes later almost completely dark and it was 23 gusting to 30 at KSBS. Currently almost 10 PM, winds are 22 gusts to 32.

Amazing, really makes one consider those evening flights and importance of securing the plane when left out at night!
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Lots of reasons not to fly little planes in the dark in hill country. Wind 22 gust 32 at SBS is just one more...I'm guessing it wasn't right down the runway...
 
Nope, runways are 14/32, winds have consistently been at 060.

I'm just sitting here listening to them howl. What unpleasant find that would be after arriving from a long cross country and you get to go elsewhere instead.

Heck it started while there was plenty of light left, always does.
 
DWX is almost always calm at night but it's a long drive to SBS.
 
Most old timers that love in the mountains say they fly before noon most of the time. A good reason not to live IN the mountains. ;)
 
Jthamilton said:
..Get home and at 8:45 wind starts up, minimal clouds in sky. Initially 16 gusting to 21, 30 minutes later almost completely dark and it was 23 gusting to 30 at KSBS. Currently almost 10 PM, winds are 22 gusts to 32.
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Jelious!!

Go fly, I love that kind of weather, you earn those landings, make a greaser in that and you are the top of the world.

Best one so far was a 40 something xwind comp in my Stinson, didn't even hear the mains touch, it was F'ing epic!

Just be sure to have fuel to goaround or go elsewhere is needed.

Go out and get some!!
 
In okie homa not that big of deal. Always a crosswind runway in case of need. I've had the pleasure of tackling some good winds back home.

I feel confident in flying in some crosswinds, but not gonna jump out and try those numbers, especially in steamboat. I will gladly sit on the picnic table at the FBO and watch ya and take some notes .:)
 
I haven't heard someone mention Craig in a long time. I got a tour of the power plant there back around 1980. I was a camera operator and we frequently did mapping of it and the area. The guy we who gave us the tour wanted a ride in the airplane while we did the mapping. That was a mistake. He got airsick...
 
I work and keep my plane in Craig but live in Steamboat. There's only a few of us out there. Nice family owns the Mountain air spraying service for last 50 plus years.

The grandfather flew b17s I'm told and 2 of their piper cubs used for predator control for ranchers were bought new around 1950.
 
The fun thing about SBS is that the runway heading was dictated by terrain, not prevailing wind, so if it is blowing at SBS, it is almost always a crosswind. Most of the time 32 is favored with a left quartering crosswind. There is a little hill/knoll on the west side of the runway right about where you begin your flare that makes the wind a bit squirrelly, always a good time!
 
John, we should do a breakfast run some morning once you get back from OSH. Aspen is a fun flight, and they have crew cars. Just have to pay the $30 ramp fee.
 
NineThreeKilo said:
Jelious!!

Go fly, I love that kind of weather, you earn those landings, make a greaser in that and you are the top of the world.

Best one so far was a 40 something xwind comp in my Stinson, didn't even hear the mains touch, it was F'ing epic!

Just be sure to have fuel to goaround or go elsewhere is needed.

Go out and get some!!
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+1. :yes:

Go flying! Learn to deal with winds, don't hide from them. Some day you just may find yourself in a CC and need to land. Ask me how I know. ;)
 
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Had to do some night takeoffs and landings this weekend and discovered the winds were the exact opposite of what is typical for this time of year in Florida and then discovered we had a tropical storm last weekend, that never developed because these winds were in place and tore it to smithereens.
Normally there isn't enough wind to make a bit of difference after about 6 pm. Saturday I used 18 instead of 36.
Go figure.
 
Geico266 said:
+1. :yes:

Go flying! Learn to deal with winds, don't hide from them. Some day you just may find yourself in a CC and need to land. Ask me how I know. ;)
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You know not sure I agree entirely with this thought. I'm not one to shy way and in Oklahoma and many other places I would say what the hell. I'm learning that these darn tall rocks around here deserve little, no a lot, more respect.

A crosswind in the mountains 7 knots (minimum) greater then max crosswind for the aircraft isn't fun for me. Especially surrounded by mountains which ever direction I would go. Rule of thumb is if winds over 25 knots in mountains don't fly. The field at SBS sits little higher then surrounding terrain with drop offs at each end and a small hill adjacent to runway at one end. This creates just interesting winds at runway level.

Now if the need arose, I feel pretty good about flying to one of our nearby fields and tackle the less then 90 degree crosswind component.

I do enjoy that challenge of a good crosswind!
 
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