What is the strongest wind you have flown in?

[canyonblue737]

260/38G58 at MDW landing 31C. Had several days with gusts in the 50's in many places. Always fun. Aloft? Mid to 100's I guess in the 30's or 40's...?

 

[Daveman]

but we lucked out and the touchdown wasn't all that bad.

I know I've made some (lucky) greasers with gusty x-winds. I'm sure from the pax view, it looked like a monkey f-in a football.
Now I've managed to slam a few with not a trace of wind.

 

[rchcfi]

Landing: 30G45 45 degrees from runway on a 1600 ft dirt strip in Alaska in a C206.


Flight: Just the other day had 110 kts on the nose at FL340. Indicating 240KTS over the ground. A Delta MD90 passed 1000 feet below us going the other way and my first thought was "Lucky bastard!"

 

[wrigley23]

A lot of you have seen 40+kt crosswind. Whether it's direct or not, that's still a lot.

I'm going to have to call BS on some of these. Perhaps they are talking about crosswind component, but most GA aircraft are only certified to 15-20 knots direct X-wind and most jets 25-35 knots, so anything above that says that we have quite a few test pilots (meaning flying well beyond the limitations of their airplanes) on this board.

Anyway, the best I've seen is 30G50 on landing and 175 in the jetstream.

 

[johnny taliban]

I'm going to have to call BS on some of these. Perhaps they are talking about crosswind component, but most GA aircraft are only certified to 15-20 knots direct X-wind and most jets 25-35 knots

Dont know about these other guys but as far as the lear is concerned the X-wind conponent is NOT a limitation. It is a DEMONSTRATED X-wind component. No mention of it as a limitation.

Johnny

 

[Hugh Jorgan]

Adak, Alaska. Nuff said.

 

[flyboy]

130kt direct tailwind in a BE200 at FL270=410kt across the ground.

 

[wrigley23]

Exactly.

Probaly the biggest misconception in aviation.......

Now some airplanes have a maximum crosswind limitation when certain systems are inop, or under certain runway conditions, but that's a different story.

You are right. Didin't mean to put the L word in my statement. All I'm saying is when you exceed the maximum demonstrated x-wind component of your airplane, you are a test pilot. Now if the landing goes well then no harm no foul, but if it doesn't, you've got nothing to defend yourself with.

 

[labbats]

I've exceeded the recommended x-wind component many times. However, it's only been in planes I'm very comfortable in, and I always plan on a go-around if I run out of rudder. I also aim for the upwind side of the centerline in case I get pushed.

Now if I could just get that same feel for the EMB, I'd be very happy.

 

[TurboS7]

Guess that means there are pilots then there are PILOTS, REAL ONES>....

 

[TurboS7]

The best I have seen aloft was a tailwind of 210kts going across the North Atlantic that gave us a ground speed of 680kts. You no sooner got the HF mess overwith at 40W and it was time for another one at 30W.

 

[Hugh Jorgan]

I've exceeded the recommended x-wind component many times. However, it's only been in planes I'm very comfortable in, and I always plan on a go-around if I run out of rudder. I also aim for the upwind side of the centerline in case I get pushed.

That oughta help the weathervane effect once you are on the ground.
I think I'll let the test pilots keep the "demonstrated" records.

 

[soarby007]

I don't think exceeding the demonstrated x-wind component makes you a test pilot. All the test pilots do on this is demonstrate the x-wind component on a given day. It was never meant to be a limiting factor at all. I don't know that they could ever determine the maximum. The limiting factor is the rudder. The demonstrated component should give you pause for reflection if you aren't experienced with x-wind landings under strong and gusty conditions.

I've been told the reason they don't go any higher than 20kts or so is for liability purposes, not because the aircraft can't do it. When you're out of rudder, better have a plan B.

 

[Hugh Jorgan]

I don't know that they could ever determine the maximum.

I do. And if you continue to exceed max demonstrated crosswind landings, you just might determine one. If you never want to discover the maximum crosswind limit for an aircraft, don't exceed the max demonstrated. It's a pretty simple concept, really.

 

[PureMuscle]

Anyone know how cold it cold it is at FL350 or just high altitudes period?