Toughest landing I’ve ever done today.

steingar

steingar

Taxi to Parking
Joined
Feb 6, 2007
Messages
29,248
Location
Land of Savages
Display Name
Display name:
steingar
Weather was nice today. CAVU skies and warm temperatures. But the winds were howling.

I thought through this on my preflight. I haven’t flown since Christmas. Am I up for this? On the other hand, the reason I hadn’t flown since Christmas was I couldn’t get VFR weather. I don’t fly today, when will I? I go too long my skills go to pot. That, and I need fuel, and it’s quite warm for early February. Decisions decisions.

I decided to go, and on takeoff instantly regretted the decision. Turbulent conditions, darn did I get beat up. On the other hand everything was within the aircraft’s envelope, there was nothing that was going to break it midair. I powered down and cruised at my economy setting, my airspeed was about 140 miles/hr. though my ground speed was 90. Flew over to Urbana/Grimes for some lunch and pie. Half hour there. Figured if things went south I could always go around or go home, where we have crossed runways right into the wind.

Landing was harum sacrum to say the least. Could just barely keep the aircraft going on a straight line. No flap landing done pretty fast, runway is a comfy 4K feet. Nice thing was I did a perfect crosswind landing on one tire on the centerline. Got off the runway at the first taxiway, more a testament to the wind than my pilot skills.

Lunch and pie, and even left a couple Origami’s for the sweet waitress. Got my gas, didn’t even need that much. I did chock the airplane while I pumped so it didn’t blow away. Flight back was brief, about ten minutes. Got behind the airplane pretty good, but recovered. Again, a no flap landing (5k runway, lots of room). The winds were so strong and swirly on final I was hearing the stall horn while I was at 100mph. Came in fast, didn’t even float that much. Wind. Might have had a bit of a side load touching down, I know I hit and errant gust just then. And hour on the tach, some very good crosswind practice, and I even got pie.
 

Attachments

  • E5F4F2A6-89C5-41C5-A74C-6906EBAFA857.jpeg
    E5F4F2A6-89C5-41C5-A74C-6906EBAFA857.jpeg
    156.1 KB · Views: 113
Last edited:
Would’ve been similar conditions here, had I chosen to fly. Flights like those aren’t even fun. Best to just bag it and save it for another day.
 
I did a gusty landing with a bad crosswind at cedar key today. Hit pretty hard, but stuck and stopped with more than half the runway left. It wasn’t really very much fun though. It’s really not the place to go for fun when the weather isn’t nice.

I don’t do no flap landings due to winds though. It doesn’t make sense in the Mooney IMO.
 
I had much the same today, but I didn’t get any pie... 5 knots gusting 15 directly across the runway. Not exactly what I was looking for to boost my confidence getting ready for my check ride, but I didn’t break anything. It wasn’t the 5 that bothered me, but the 15 was hairy, at least for me.
 
I coordinated a PnP flight that we cancelled today due to wind shear
 
First flight after annual. Weather not good for the last few weeks. 3 touch and goes, all nice landings. Back to watch Super Bowl. Bad part was shoveling snow to get out of hangar..:rolleyes:
 
Last edited:
Salty said:
I don’t do no flap landings due to winds though. It doesn’t make sense in the Mooney IMO.
Click to expand...
I don’t normally, but had I done a full flap landing at my usual approach speeds I’d have been blown clear of the runway. No flaps you come in a few knots faster, that much more wind across the control surfaces increases their effectiveness.
 
I haven’t flown since December either. I was supposed to go up late afternoon and get some multi engine work in but canceled. It was howling. Glad you got it back in one piece. Ohio winter weather doesn’t have many flying days.
 
Pretty good crosswind at Cedar Key today. Was that Salty about to taxi out in Mooney as I taxied in with the Tiger?
Thumb up.
 
I hadn't flown since 11/23, and my flight review expired at the end of November so I took care of that today. I, too, did a no flap landing. Not much wind of any sort today, maybe 5-8 kt so no real crosswind work. On entry to the pattern at home, the CFI said, "Oh, shoot, your flap motor just broke". Told him that would preclude my use of the throttle, since the flaps and throttle both use my right arm to operate. :) We decided the motor was OK, but the linkage was broken.

I had forgotten just how difficult it is to get this thing to stall.
 
wrbix said:
Pretty good crosswind at Cedar Key today. Was that Salty about to taxi out in Mooney as I taxied in with the Tiger?
Thumb up.
Click to expand...
I dunno. Didn't notice a tiger. I just landed, taxied back and left. First time I've ever been there that I didn't see someone else at least on their way in or out.
 
DaleB said:
I had forgotten just how difficult it is to get this thing to stall.
Click to expand...
My Mooney stalls really easily. Close the throttle and pull back on the yoke. Works every time,. You really should try it.
 
steingar said:
Flew over to Urbana/Grimes for some lunch and pie.
Click to expand...
Alright reading your first paragraph I was assuming you were somewhere around here with that wx description, reading this I know it, so where? I'm DAY / I66.
 
Salty said:
I dunno. Didn't notice a tiger. I just landed, taxied back and left. First time I've ever been there that I didn't see someone else at least on their way in or out.
Click to expand...
Must’ve been another Mooney - was on the ramp about 15:30.
KCDK was surprisingly busy in the afternoon considering the crosswind blowing off the Gulf....smelled of tortillas.
 
wrbix said:
Must’ve been another Mooney - was on the ramp about 15:30
Click to expand...
Nope, wasn't me. I was on the way to the airport to catch a commercial flight by then. :(
 
I don’t mind windy landings per say... it’s the turbulence and gusts that I can do without.
 
steingar said:
My Mooney stalls really easily. Close the throttle and pull back on the yoke. Works every time,. You really should try it.
Click to expand...
Yeah, did that. Well, stick, not yoke, but yeah. It worked... eventually. The 12 really wants to keep flying, probably much more than the Mooney does. Must be something to do with the tail being bolted on the right way. :D
 
DaleB said:
Yeah, did that. Well, stick, not yoke, but yeah. It worked... eventually. The 12 really wants to keep flying, probably much more than the Mooney does. Must be something to do with the tail being bolted on the right way. :D
Click to expand...
Have to admit it wasn’t easy to get a good stall break out of my old Cherokee. With the vortex generators it mostly mushed. If I REALLY pulled hard on the yoke I could get a clean break, but it took a lot of force.
 
Yesterday was CAVU here as well, and I haven't been flying since the beginning of January, so I thought, great! Then I looked at the airmets: TURB SFC 150 and LLWS. Nope. BTDT, got the t-shirt (and the headband imprints...)

Went for a nice couple hour motorcycle ride instead.

Although if I was fully Stormwalker certified, I might have given it a go...
 
I should have gotten the bike out yesterday, but I'm pretty certain it needs a new battery. But yeah, it was a rough day to fly. I just don't know when I'm going to get another.From the looks of the forecast it won't be soon.

One nice thing. Two landings in those conditions are a real confidence booster. Not in a big hurry to do it again, Stormwalker or no. That's Stormwalker, not Stormflyer. I think the latter don't last all that terribly wrong.
 
steingar said:
I should have gotten the bike out yesterday, but I'm pretty certain it needs a new battery. But yeah, it was a rough day to fly. I just don't know when I'm going to get another.From the looks of the forecast it won't be soon.

One nice thing. Two landings in those conditions are a real confidence booster. Not in a big hurry to do it again, Stormwalker or no. That's Stormwalker, not Stormflyer. I think the latter don't last all that terribly wrong.
Click to expand...

Getting beat up by turbulence is not fun. But practicing landings in a (within your limits, which these apparently were) gusty crosswind is excellent practice and good training. And it makes me feel good to pull it off. As it did you.
 
jsstevens said:
Getting beat up by turbulence is not fun. But practicing landings in a (within your limits, which these apparently were) gusty crosswind is excellent practice and good training. And it makes me feel good to pull it off. As it did you.
Click to expand...
That's sort of what I had in mind when I decided to fly. I knew I had an out, since my home airport has a runway that was pointed right into the screaming prevailing wind. I was really to go around at my destination, but I was sorta kinda able to track the runway heading, more or less. The landing back home was a bit more frightening. Nothing like hearing the stall horn chirp when you're going fast at 700 feet. I don't mind crosswinds in the slightest, but this gusty turbulent stuff is for the birds. I take it back, the birds weren't flying that day.

Still, we do what we must to maintain currency. I'd rather hang it out a bit and stay sharp then wait, get dull, and have something go amiss on that clear weather day.
 
steingar said:
Have to admit it wasn’t easy to get a good stall break out of my old Cherokee. With the vortex generators it mostly mushed. If I REALLY pulled hard on the yoke I could get a clean break, but it took a lot of force.
Click to expand...

I have a few hours in a gutless Warrior with VGs. They definitely are kinda like cheating when doing stalls. A cleaner wing Archer definitely gives more snap and more wing over when you go power on, but also is easier to power out on a power off stall.

steingar said:
That's sort of what I had in mind when I decided to fly. I knew I had an out, since my home airport has a runway that was pointed right into the screaming prevailing wind. I was really to go around at my destination, but I was sorta kinda able to track the runway heading, more or less. The landing back home was a bit more frightening. Nothing like hearing the stall horn chirp when you're going fast at 700 feet. I don't mind crosswinds in the slightest, but this gusty turbulent stuff is for the birds. I take it back, the birds weren't flying that day.

Still, we do what we must to maintain currency. I'd rather hang it out a bit and stay sharp then wait, get dull, and have something go amiss on that clear weather day.
Click to expand...

You were smart doing this. Maintaining proficiency throughout the safe envelope of flight is what we should all do. Thankfully, it is fairly easy to get crosswind and gusty practice in here in Southern California, thanks to our Santa Anas. Remember, you can always go around and come back again to land.

Also, you are in a great plane for windy conditions. Clean, well loaded wings are great in windy conditions, and Mooney's aren't particularly light either. Even comparing Cherokees - I'd much rather be flying an Arrow in a gusty crosswind than an Archer or Warrior, and I much prefer flying my Tiger, with short, loaded, laminar flow wings, in gusts than I do an Arrow.
 
Yeah it was really sporty around here too. I decided it was a good day to challenge myself with power off 180 practice. I learned a valuable lesson. Spot landings and gusty crosswinds are kind of hard :)
 
One time I had to poop, so I landed, thankfully it wasn’t a chity landing
 
Speaking of - it was nothing but light to moderate from 3000' in climb to 2500' in descent today, and approach left me super high due to a reverse configuration in a different airport. Then a direct crosswind, though not too bad, and it was a lovely grease job. My theory worked again today.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top