The best tailwind you've ever had on a flight?

D

DMD3.

Pre-takeoff checklist
Joined
Nov 8, 2014
Messages
474
Location
Tifton, Ga
Display Name
Display name:
DMD3.
What is strongest tailwind you've ever encountered when on a flight? For me, it was on a trip from Slidell, Louisiana to Tifton, Georgia. At 9,500 feet, I averaged a groundspeed of 160 kts in a Cessna 172 and there was one point north of Birmingham, it got over 170!! Gotta love the jet stream. :D

The only sad thing is that on the way there, the average speed was 80-85 kts. It took us 4.7 hours to get there, and only 2.4 hours to get back, and it would have took even less, but I stopped and did a touch-and-go at two nearby airports so that it would count as my long cross-country required for the Commercial rating (I was solo on the way back).
 
Welcome to POA

You got me beat. Best GS was 143 and the return trip was flown at 41
 
Last edited:
I don't have numbers for both legs of the trip, but one time Foreflight was displaying 135 knots ground speed for about 20 minutes while I was throttled back, leaned out and showing 80 knots airspeed. I was only at about 2,500 feet AGL and it was amazing watching the ground go by so fast.
 
Welcome ,238 knots in a beech travel air,much too fast 70 knt tail wind.
 
I had a 45-55kt tailwind a few weeks ago between 32GA and KTTA. Ground speed in my Beech Musketeer was 160kts.
 
I regularly go between TX and S CO and go west down low and come east real high. Regularly see TW of 35kts with plenty of wave activity. My best was ~70kts. I was showing GS of 215kts in one of the troughs which gave me a speed of about 145 through the air, which is about right.
 
I think it was 130, I had a 270kt ground speed in an ArrowII. I didn't believe my math when I worked it out so I called ATC for a speed check, and sure enough, I was going that fast.
 
Up high in a Conquest II, I had 100 knots on the tail from Kansas City to Atlanta. Pretty much the same coming from Bryce Canyon UT to Atlanta, I had planned a fuel stop, but really could have skipped it. :D
 
Henning said:
I think it was 130, I had a 270kt ground speed in an ArrowII. I didn't believe my math when I worked it out so I called ATC for a speed check, and sure enough, I was going that fast.
Click to expand...

holy ****

I gotta do more winter flying - the best I've gotten is probably ~25 kts tailwind component. I've seen cruise speeds approaching 190 KGS on a 162 KTAS. I mean I'll take that any day, but not exactly 130 KTS! :D
 
I had a 100kt tail wind on a trip from St Pete back to NC...Ground speed of about 280kts in a PA46. Still looking for the 300 kt GS opportunity.

In the 182, the best I saw was about 80kts but it was not straight on the tail. Seem to remember the ground speed was about 190kts.
 
42 knot tail wind coming home from spirit of saint Louis. I was able to get the ground speed up to 185 knots in a c172. Unfortunately we had a 30 knot head wind on the way there
 
380 ground speed in a Beech 1900. Roughly in the 100 knot tailwind range
 
Had a 50kt tailwind Chicago to DC a few weeks ago, but more importantly the next day I had still air for the return trip. I don't like to talk about it too much for fearing of jinxing the next trip...
 
This thread needs evidence...
 

Attachments

  • 20140829_142832.jpg
    20140829_142832.jpg
    2.4 MB · Views: 71
ok I was off a bit

When doing 41, Mrs 6PC and I couldn't quit laughing.
She goes "Why are we flying again?"

Cars on I-35 were blowing past us


534377_10202876768987184_1472392789_n.jpg
 
I had a ground speed of 169knots in the 235 during the freezing rain incident.
 
Not my highest, but it was up there....

IMG_1698.jpg
 
About 46 knots. I was going 148 KGS in a Cessna 162 flying back to Memphis from the TN-KY border. KTAS was *maybe* 102 at the time. I couldn't believe that I was going that fast in a SkyCatcher period and this was without wheel pants.
 
Henning said:
I think it was 130, I had a 270kt ground speed in an ArrowII. I didn't believe my math when I worked it out so I called ATC for a speed check, and sure enough, I was going that fast.
Click to expand...


What altitude were you at?
 
Bryan was whining about lack of Mile High Club posts, and here this one is ... oh wait, title said "best tailwind" ... I missed the "wind" part, I guess. :D
 
Ducked out of storm down in Springfield MO earlier this summer and ran parallel just east of the front ahead of it all the way home to Grand rapids Michigan in a Grumman tiger AA5B.

Got home in less than 2-1/2hours averaging over 200kt, dont think that's ever going to happen again. :confused:

Had ATC query me a few times on the route asking for my type.
 
I was coming south over Roanoke doing 204 knots ground speed in my SR20.. Not bad for a plane that does 140 indicated :)
 
Last edited:
Probably 11 or so years ago flying KLOM to KPVC in a PA28-181 saw about 155kts ground speed. Trip was made the Friday of Memorial Day Weekend.
 
The most EPIC tailwind I've ever had was flying from Calgary Springbank Airport to Cutbank Montana. I averaged 140 knots in my Cherokee 150 (it was right then and there that I knew I wanted a faster plane). The problem was that I was half an hour early for my CBP date. So, I had to sit and circle the airport and sight see for 30 minutes. If there is a God, he has a sense of humor.
 
I had this from K62 to PKB at 5500. 95 kts indicated
 

Attachments

  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    904.4 KB · Views: 25
48Kts at 8500'
KGVL to KCHA
Cessna 172

Coming back I could see semi-trucks passing me on I-75N.
 
Someone here has to have hovered or flown backwards in a cub right?
I have heard stories about that
 
203 Knot ground speed with a 145 KTAS is my current best. 58 KT tailwind @ 9000' heading east out of Colorado last winter in my 182.
 
My first solo cross country treated me to a 41 kt tailwind giving me a GS of 162. I put a sticky on the panel and snapped a picture so I would remember what great fun that was and the date. Returning home was not nearly as fun.

9478EGS162Dec232011.jpg
 
Returning home from KCLT on Sunday Oct 14, 2012. 181Kts GS, Cessna 172S about 4,000MSL
 
Not bad for an LSA, 5500ft IIRC, but might have been 7500ft :

496_zps506de226.jpg
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top