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TD handling in strong/gusting x-wind landings?

G

gbumga

Active Member
Hi all, I live in an area with mostly constant winds,12 to 15 gusting to 20+, always big gusts not like the constant winds of the plains states. I have rode in Mauls and watched many TD landings and TO's. I want the TD but I am very concerned with landing a TD in windy conditions,I have 0 TD time. landings are my favorite part of flying. After reading about a well known VAF fella looping and bending the landing gear and damaging the wing and prop strike while landing in the kind of winds I described above, and this fella had lots of TD time in the RV. I just worry that I'm gone not be able to fly when I want too because of high x-winds. My ? is what are the winds you guys find are ok for the RV TD after learning the plane? I'm doing the VS now and it looks like I need to decide now for the holes in the rear VS spar at the bottom. Gene
 
Last edited:
Hi Gene

In the last 18 years I have accumulated about 2400hrs in tail wheel RV's, most of them in my RV6 (now sold). My wife and I have used the airplane mostly for traveling all over the US and Canada and have encountered all kinds of adverse conditions. We have had to land the taildragger in strong, gusty crosswinds occasionally and I have always been amazed how capable the the RV is under those conditions. When I first flew the RV6 I had only 10hrs of tail wheel transition training in a Taylorcraft. It took about 100hrs for me to become skilled enough to handle the really gusty cross winds in the 20 knot+ range but the airplane can do it if the pilot has the skills. The taildragger has never gotten away from me but you have to stay on top of it until you have come to a complete stop. I fly a 7A now and must admit that it is much easier to handle under adverse conditions than the taildragger I have flown for so many hours.

Martin Sutter
building and flying RV's since 1988
 
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