My 2ps worth...
We have ~1600', slope uphill from each end to middle, and curved / slightly obstructed approaches each end.
Flying is about risk management - and sometimes that might boil down to increasing risk (take off with a tailwind) in one area, but reducing it by, say, only doing it rarely.
If however, you "commit" to do this regularly, then the risk can become significant. Always have a Plan B:
- Takeoff with Tailwind - what if engine fails? Rule 1 of an engine failure is to land (crash?) into wind for survivability. Taking off with a tailiwind now means you have a long period of being committed to force land with a tailwind.
- Landing tailwind due trees other end. As said above, what about the "Go Around"? When are you committed to land? Due the slope at our strip, the "Go-No Go decision is mid-strip (start of downhill portion). We need to be on the ground by that point, good braking being achieved, or throw it away. That has been done 2-3 times already. I would not want the "committing point" to be prior touchdown.
To be more specific, RV-7/8 with decent engine and C/S prop, takeoff is a minor issue. It will be airborne quickly, climb steeply etc. Landing is the issue - the flaps do not create a
lot of drag, so "steep" low IAS approaches are not possible (e.g. compared to a C172).
Andy & Ellie Hill
RV-8 G-HILZ
RV8tors