N941WR
Legacy Member
Today was a clear, not a cloud in the sky type of day. Since I had just finished up a contract that I had been working for the last year and a half, I decided that I would stop by the airport and do a little maintenance on the -9 before meeting my wife and son for dinner.
As I moved the plane out of the hangar I realized the wind was blowing pretty good. A quick look at the windsock told the story, or so I thought. It was sticking straight out, indicating a 90 degree crosswind. No big deal, it wasn’t moving around so I thought the wind would be steady. WRONG!
The taxi out and begging of the takeoff roll were completely normal but at about 40 knots the airplane jumped in the air about a foot then settled back on the runway for a second before a normal lift off. At about 10 feet the fun really began. The air was choppy like I’ve never felt before. Up on crosswind I looked at the wind indicator on the Dynon SkyView (Man, I love that feature!) and noticed that yes, the wind was a direct cross wind but it was blowing at 22 knots. Oh man, I thought to myself, this is going to be interesting. Knowing I have landed in similar crosswinds, I wasn’t too concerned until I was on final.
I extended final so I would have a chance to stabilize things prior to rounding out for the landing. While that was a good idea, the moving air had other ideas. We bounced, rocked, rolled, and jumped up and down the entire approach. The touchdown wasn’t too bad, all six of them.
Never before have I had to struggle to get the plane down to the runway like that. Tail wheel or nose wheel, it wouldn’t have mattered because just getting into position down close to the runway was an issue.
Anyway, the first landing consisted of about six bounces, some with power and some without. Finally I got the mains planted and everything worked out. I stopped on the runway, retracted the flaps, set the trim and took off again.
Pass number two wasn’t too good and had me thinking / wishing I had stayed on the ground. After numerous bounces, near ground loops, etc. I realized it was time to add power and go around for another try.
The third approach and second landing was a challenge but safe.
Trying my hand at crosswinds is something I enjoy doing but for some reason today’s crosswinds were choppy, making them a real challenge.
If you haven’t stayed proficient in crosswinds, you are missing one of most challenging aspects of piloting an airplane. If you are nervous about trying some, make sure you have an “out” in the way of a nearby airport that is better aligned with the winds. It is much better to beg for a ride back to your home airport with your plane safely tied down than to beg for a ride because you crinkled it.
As I moved the plane out of the hangar I realized the wind was blowing pretty good. A quick look at the windsock told the story, or so I thought. It was sticking straight out, indicating a 90 degree crosswind. No big deal, it wasn’t moving around so I thought the wind would be steady. WRONG!
The taxi out and begging of the takeoff roll were completely normal but at about 40 knots the airplane jumped in the air about a foot then settled back on the runway for a second before a normal lift off. At about 10 feet the fun really began. The air was choppy like I’ve never felt before. Up on crosswind I looked at the wind indicator on the Dynon SkyView (Man, I love that feature!) and noticed that yes, the wind was a direct cross wind but it was blowing at 22 knots. Oh man, I thought to myself, this is going to be interesting. Knowing I have landed in similar crosswinds, I wasn’t too concerned until I was on final.
I extended final so I would have a chance to stabilize things prior to rounding out for the landing. While that was a good idea, the moving air had other ideas. We bounced, rocked, rolled, and jumped up and down the entire approach. The touchdown wasn’t too bad, all six of them.
Never before have I had to struggle to get the plane down to the runway like that. Tail wheel or nose wheel, it wouldn’t have mattered because just getting into position down close to the runway was an issue.
Anyway, the first landing consisted of about six bounces, some with power and some without. Finally I got the mains planted and everything worked out. I stopped on the runway, retracted the flaps, set the trim and took off again.
Pass number two wasn’t too good and had me thinking / wishing I had stayed on the ground. After numerous bounces, near ground loops, etc. I realized it was time to add power and go around for another try.
The third approach and second landing was a challenge but safe.
Trying my hand at crosswinds is something I enjoy doing but for some reason today’s crosswinds were choppy, making them a real challenge.
If you haven’t stayed proficient in crosswinds, you are missing one of most challenging aspects of piloting an airplane. If you are nervous about trying some, make sure you have an “out” in the way of a nearby airport that is better aligned with the winds. It is much better to beg for a ride back to your home airport with your plane safely tied down than to beg for a ride because you crinkled it.
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