Swirling Winds Suck!

[tonyw]

Did a little trip today to shoot some approaches and get some time in. That was fine, what sucked was getting back home.

Everything was fine until the flare. The first time as I'm in the flare, I don't just balloon, I start to come back UP. Go around.

The second time, the pattern looks good, the approach looks good, and I fly right through ground effect and plant it. Except even though I'm on the ground, the airplane starts to lift off the ground. Go around.

Third time was the charm. I got her down, kept it planted on terra firma, and taxied it in.

This is the kind of day where you're at risk of flipping the plane or ending up in the grass. And the winds?

They were about 10 gusting to about 20, and they were coming at a 40 degree angle to the runway. So they weren't bad according to the AWOS. But then, when they're doing funny things on the runway, it makes it fun.

Anyway, the airplane is on the ground, it's reusable, and all the parts are attached so I'll say it was a good day.

[TFaudree_ERAU]

Oh man the stories I could tell from my home field in Virginia. 2270 x 45 with trees on the east side. Northeasterly wind, and you were in the for the ride of your life.

I find the problem with the "going up again" here in Hilton Head also. Although it isn't all that bad on final, when you get over the numbers, it feels like someone put a boot up your rear and you magically go up again, even though the power is back at idle and you're down near the bottom of the white arc.

Aggravating ain't it.

[EDUC8-or]

Originally Posted by tonyw

Did a little trip today to shoot some approaches and get some time in. That was fine, what sucked was getting back home.

Everything was fine until the flare. The first time as I'm in the flare, I don't just balloon, I start to come back UP. Go around.

The second time, the pattern looks good, the approach looks good, and I fly right through ground effect and plant it. Except even though I'm on the ground, the airplane starts to lift off the ground. Go around.

Third time was the charm. I got her down, kept it planted on terra firma, and taxied it in.

This is the kind of day where you're at risk of flipping the plane or ending up in the grass. And the winds?

They were about 10 gusting to about 20, and they were coming at a 40 degree angle to the runway. So they weren't bad according to the AWOS. But then, when they're doing funny things on the runway, it makes it fun.

Anyway, the airplane is on the ground, it's reusable, and all the parts are attached so I'll say it was a good day.

Winds like that make flying interesting and the landings might not always be so smooth. You rarely get comments from the PAX when you grease one on, but when you bounce it in on a gusty day there's always some funny remarks from the back.

[sopdan]

I had a similar experience yesterday, flying into a little field in rural NH. There's a 700' ridge immediately to the east that runs parallel with the runway, and wraps around about a mile north of the airport (which happened to be the approach end in this instance), as well as some 50' trees.

To the south there are some 40' trees right off the runway, and then steadily rising terrain turning into a another 700-800 footer straight ahead. To the west is flat ground for a few miles, but also 30' trees lining the runway edge (you can't see the actual runway while on downwind).

When the wind starts blowing, it can get pretty interesting!!! But it makes it fun and challenging at the same time.

[Mahesh]

Originally Posted by sopdan

I had a similar experience yesterday, flying into a little field in rural NH. There's a 700' ridge immediately to the east that runs parallel with the runway, and wraps around about a mile north of the airport (which happened to be the approach end in this instance), as well as some 50' trees.

To the south there are some 40' trees right off the runway, and then steadily rising terrain turning into a another 700-800 footer straight ahead. To the west is flat ground for a few miles, but also 30' trees lining the runway edge (you can't see the actual runway while on downwind).

When the wind starts blowing, it can get pretty interesting!!! But it makes it fun and challenging at the same time.

It makes you wonder sometimes who picked the spot for airports.

TonyW, do you fly out of Gaitherburg or Frederick?

[EDUC8-or]

Go HOKIES!

[Timbuff10]

I was there, I saw it all... Good job Tony, I'm alive and didn't wet myself... Trust me, I have seen far worse! Hell, I have done worse!

At least you didn't try and shoot the VOR when it wasn't actually in VLOC

[Mahesh]

Originally Posted by EDUC8-or

Go HOKIES!

YEAH!!

Lets see how we do against the Yellow Jackets this weekend. It's a building year for us and I think GA Tech. is the first decent team we're facing this season.

[BEvaristo]

Dont worry. Tech has a history of playing to it's opponents levels. I get sick every game. We could put up a good fight against FSU one week, and the next have trouble with Duke. I'm just hoping that it isn't a repeat of last years game (51-7).

[myron96]

Hey tony,
Had the same problem yesterday.. .Thunderstorms were rolling in, not to mention the two tornadoes. BUt the winds were gusting like 28, a little balloon, but not bad, But its true, no one says anything about a perfect landing, but you balloon a little in a strong gust, and all he sudden everyone tells you what you could have done better..!!

[flyover]

Next time don't forget to arm the auto-spoilers Tony!

[tonyw]

Originally Posted by Timbuff10

At least you didn't try and shoot the VOR when it wasn't actually in VLOC

That was my fault. I had the first VOR on the GPS and was using the second one to track the EMI VOR. I should have told you.

Mahesh, I fly out of GAI.

[Grabo172]

I keep my Kolb at a little grass field here in SC, and yesterday when I came home and crossed over the field to check the wind I looked at the wind sock to my right. It was pointing down our 3000' RW 04 so I joined the right downwind for RW 04. Came around on final and thought "I seem awful fast" just as I looked at the wind sock on this end of the field and it was pointing the other direction?...

I though maybe I had read the other wind sock incorrectly, so I powered up and went around, flying down the runway. When I got to the other end, the windsock was indeed the reverse of the other windsock...

I had a tailwind on either RW. So I joined the downwind for 22 and landed with a tailwind... I had no choice.

Strangest thing I've ever seen. Perfectly clear day, and I have a 8 knot tailwind on both sides of the RW. My only guess was a good strong thermal was in the middle of the field pulling the wind in on both sides as it rose...

[Timbuff10]

I kept wondering why it wasn't coming alive, it just kept showing full deflection. It said VLOC under it so I figured that was right and just kept looking for it. Too bad the place where it needed to say VLOC was below that and said GPS. When I saw on the GPS that I was in the right place I figured it was just really sensitive that close to the VOR and would come in if I stuck with it. If that was really in the clouds I would never have descended. Just use the CDI page and go off of that I guess. It has been a while since I touched a 430