New personal minimums

linuxjim

linuxjim

Pre-takeoff checklist
Joined
Jul 8, 2014
Messages
299
Location
Wilmette, IL
Display Name
Display name:
JJ
What are yours? Turns out mine are just below what I flew today in my little single. They were calling for 17g32kt straight down the runway. Bumpy but doable. No problem.

Within 4 miles it updated to:
24011G27KT 220V290 RMK PK WND 23027/2250 SLP114 T00391044

Landing on 23. I can handle a good crosswind. Add that gusting and it gets interesting. Add that gusting AND variability from 220 to 290 and that was one "sporty" landing. The landing required a lot of dancing on the pedals and power adjustments and I may have one less passenger to go with me in the future. I took a nice wide base to not make steep turns because the winds aloft were gusting to 40+ and STILL I had to apply full power on base because I started dropping like a rock. Really felt the wind getting knocked out from under my sails on base.

Nothing much I really would have done different based on the forecast and what I got. Just wanted to share with someone other than my wife, who didn't pick up on much more than it was crazy windy and seriously bumpy. Well I guess maybe the lesson learned to share is even if you are at 150kts+ across the ground and on downwind (110 indicated) keep that speed up because when you turn base that gusting 40 kt+ will be a direct xwind and will literally knock the wind out from under you.

Happy flying, from a guy that apparently prefers smooth sailing! :)

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk
 
Yes, I'll take a 25 kt steady direct crosswind after a tornado anyday over the above winds at 45-90 degrees off the nose. I kept increasing my limits up to about 250 hrs. Now, I have decreased them back some.
 
linuxjim said:
... and I may have one less passenger to go with me in the future.
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I have to ask: Why would you subject someone to that? I hope they were a regular light aircraft passenger and not someone new to it. I just don't see any benefit to it, even for most seasoned GA passengers.

It's kinda like looking outside and seeing a gale force or higher storm blowing across the lake, and offering to take someone out on the motorboat. Rough. Not fun for them. Unless they're into that sort of thing.
 
denverpilot said:
I have to ask: Why would you subject someone to that? I hope they were a regular light aircraft passenger and not someone new to it. I just don't see any benefit to it, even for most seasoned GA passengers.
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I had the same thought. If it was just a joyride, then why take pax up in winds like that - especially a pax who sounds like they are new to GA.
 
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linuxjim said:
Well I guess maybe the lesson learned to share is even if you are at 150kts+ across the ground and on downwind (110 indicated) keep that speed up because when you turn base that gusting 40 kt+ will be a direct xwind and will literally knock the wind out from under you.
Click to expand...

I would think think that you dropped due to changing winds (direction, gusts, less headwind as you descended) instead of turning and having a crosswind. If you are flying in a constantly moving airmass then turns any direction should have no effect on airspeed.

Or so I think.
 
linuxjim said:
What are yours? Turns out mine are just below what I flew today in my little single. They were calling for 17g32kt straight down the runway. Bumpy but doable. No problem.

Within 4 miles it updated to:
24011G27KT 220V290 RMK PK WND 23027/2250 SLP114 T00391044

Landing on 23. I can handle a good crosswind. Add that gusting and it gets interesting. Add that gusting AND variability from 220 to 290 and that was one "sporty" landing. The landing required a lot of dancing on the pedals and power adjustments and I may have one less passenger to go with me in the future. I took a nice wide base to not make steep turns because the winds aloft were gusting to 40+ and STILL I had to apply full power on base because I started dropping like a rock. Really felt the wind getting knocked out from under my sails on base.

Nothing much I really would have done different based on the forecast and what I got. Just wanted to share with someone other than my wife, who didn't pick up on much more than it was crazy windy and seriously bumpy. Well I guess maybe the lesson learned to share is even if you are at 150kts+ across the ground and on downwind (110 indicated) keep that speed up because when you turn base that gusting 40 kt+ will be a direct xwind and will literally knock the wind out from under you.

Happy flying, from a guy that apparently prefers smooth sailing! :)

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
You had wind shear bad enough to "drop like a rock?" You were very lucky that didn't happen at 25 AGL. You would have totaled the aircraft.
 
Nope. Nobody was new to GA. Hey! I don't like chop and I'm not new. Doesn't mean I'm afraid of or won't fly in chop. Same thing with my pax. We prefer our XC trips on nice clear, smooth days. No sin in that. Besides, "forecast" is what is predicted. "Weather", on the other hand, is what you get. I would still plan a flight any day with 17g32 straight down the runway. I would NOT plan a flight with that gust AND that variability. Perhaps you missed the part in the OP where I said the weather was still reporting 17g32 until 4 miles out when tower updated me on winds because it became variable 220-290.

And yeah. TN dude. I'm certain it was the gusting that knocked the wind out, which is why I also mentioned shallow turns, keeping the speed up and all that goodness. It was just wild having to keep the power way up on base for the direct gusting xwind.

Ugh. I forgot the first rule of POA. Don't post pictures, videos or personal flying experiences that weren't perfect conditions. Or else. :)

Oh! So this happened; I cut an hour off a flight from Chicago to NC a few weeks ago because I had had a 50kt direct tailwind most of the way and it was a nice clear day. The landing was smooth. ...sooo...That was nice... Not as interesting to talk about as the flight where the winds didn't turn out quite as predicted though.

Merry Christmas and Happy flying! :)
 
mtuomi said:
METAR EKVG 260550Z AUTO 27053G73KT 4500NDV -SHRA BR BKN012/// 03/02 Q0977 RESHRA RMK BKN008/// WIND 850FT 29068G95KT

You guys need to visit Norway to expand your personal limits :)
Click to expand...

68G95? Whoah! Slow down. Think I better take my time working up to that. :)
 
denverpilot said:
I have to ask: Why would you subject someone to that? I hope they were a regular light aircraft passenger and not someone new to it. I just don't see any benefit to it, even for most seasoned GA passengers.

It's kinda like looking outside and seeing a gale force or higher storm blowing across the lake, and offering to take someone out on the motorboat. Rough. Not fun for them. Unless they're into that sort of thing.
Click to expand...

She's a regular and we were doing a XC. The chop and the "sporty" landing made her queasy for the first time on a GA plane, which I understand someone not liking. Now she says she can't wait to go again. She just wasn't so enthusiastic yesterday. :)
 
mtuomi said:
METAR EKVG 260550Z AUTO 27053G73KT 4500NDV -SHRA BR BKN012/// 03/02 Q0977 RESHRA RMK BKN008/// WIND 850FT 29068G95KT

You guys need to visit Norway to expand your personal limits :)
Click to expand...

LOL... and to think BJC was *only* gusting 67 over the weekend. :)

linuxjim said:
Nope. Nobody was new to GA.

...

Ugh. I forgot the first rule of POA. Don't post pictures, videos or personal flying experiences that weren't perfect conditions. Or else. :)
Click to expand...

linuxjim said:
She's a regular and we were doing a XC. The chop and the "sporty" landing made her queasy for the first time on a GA plane, which I understand someone not liking. Now she says she can't wait to go again. She just wasn't so enthusiastic yesterday. :)
Click to expand...

Nah, I don't care if someone is used to it.

My wife will fly in stuff that has me working hard in the other seat and she barely notices it.

We took some friends out on a day with very very light chop and when we went to dinner afterward they said, "So is it always that bumpy?" Karen and I looked at each other in surprise, neither of us had even noticed ANY bumps.

We explained the usual... "it's like being on a choppy lake in a small boat vs a larger one... sorry about that" and they were cool.

But we later joked at home that we hadn't even noticed AT ALL and we'd have to pay more attention when taking friends up. We'd gotten too used to it to judge what the newbies were feeling. Our butts are tuned differently than theirs after 20+ years of it. Heh.
 
PS I haven't bounced Karen off of the ceiling yet. I have bounced myself off of the ceiling though. Ha.
 
denverpilot said:
PS I haven't bounced Karen off of the ceiling yet. I have bounced myself off of the ceiling though. Ha.
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Same. So far I am the only one who has bounced off the ceiling. And only one REALLY good time. I came home one day and she asks me. "what did you do to your forehead?" It was one hard bump that slammed my headset into my forehead and left a good nick, on a mostly clear day. I don't yet have 20 years but every experience teaches me something new, like; Make sure the shoulder harness is tight on bumpy days if you don't want to walk around with a nick in your forehead. :)
 
denverpilot said:
LOL... and to think BJC was *only* gusting 67 over the weekend. :)





Nah, I don't care if someone is used to it.

My wife will fly in stuff that has me working hard in the other seat and she barely notices it.

We took some friends out on a day with very very light chop and when we went to dinner afterward they said, "So is it always that bumpy?" Karen and I looked at each other in surprise, neither of us had even noticed ANY bumps.

We explained the usual... "it's like being on a choppy lake in a small boat vs a larger one... sorry about that" and they were cool.

But we later joked at home that we hadn't even noticed AT ALL and we'd have to pay more attention when taking friends up. We'd gotten too used to it to judge what the newbies were feeling. Our butts are tuned differently than theirs after 20+ years of it. Heh.
Click to expand...

For better or for worse, I gave a 12 year old CAP cadet his first plane ride in conditions I probably shouldn't have. There were scattered clouds at 2500 and showers in the vicinity. Wind up to 15 knots. Fine VFR for a seasoned pilot. I warned the kid it might be a bit bumpy, 'cause that's what the clouds were saying (nice teachable moment about clouds forming where air rises, usually, so bumpy clouds suggests bumpy air below). I decided crossing mountains was not a good idea, as that's where the clouds were hanging out, so he flew us all the way across San Jose, dodging the showers. He did a fine job. And he came back for two more rides, so I know it didn't scare him. But it wasn't a great idea.

Dang, that kid's a die-hard. From chatting with his mom, he joined specifically for the orientation rides. In six months, he's done three powered rides and four glider rides. And he's small -- slow flight with him on no less than three pillows and the seat all the way forward was interesting.
 
linuxjim said:
Same. So far I am the only one who has bounced off the ceiling. And only one REALLY good time.
Click to expand...

I've hit some good bumps and "interesting" turbulence, but only my wife hit the ceiling. She now keeps her seatbelt a little but tighter.
 
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