What is the strongest wind you have flown in?

[Hugh Jorgan]

http://www.rap.ucar.edu/weather/upper/

 

[PureMuscle]

Thanks Hugh.

 

[Blue Dude]

Landing in Buffalo during the wind storm in November 2003. Perfectly clear day, beautiful actually, but winds 20 degrees off the runway at 43 G 56. Rough as **** below 1000 ft too. It worked out OK but I wouldn't do it again.

In flight: 210 kts at FL370 over NM. It was a tailwind thankfully. GS was 660 kts.

 

[DX Rick]

direct x-wind 28G41 in a Arrow IV.

 

[TurboS7]

-51c @350

 

[soarby007]

There is an interesting article which I could not get to paste here, but you can look it up on www.flightsafety.org/alar/alar bn8-6-wind.pdg

The maximum demonstrated crosswind published in the approved airplane flight manual (AFM), aircraft operating manual (AOM) and/or quick reference handbook (QRH) is the maximum crosswind component that was encountered and documented during certification flight tests or subsequent tests by the manufacturer.

The wind value is recorded during a time period bracketing the touchdown (typically from 100 feet above airport elevation to when the airplane reaches taxi speed).

For some aircraft models, if a significant gust is recorded during this period, a demonstrated gust value also is published.

The maximum demonstrated crosswind;

1. is not an operating limitation (unless otherwise stated);
2. Is not necessarily the maximum aircraft crosswind capability; and,
3.generally applies to a steady wind.

Much more information is included in the article.

Of course the crosswind capability is affected adversely the several factors.

The Westwind for example has a demonstrated component for the Westwind I of 20 kts. The Westwind II is 23 kts. No major differences in the two aircraft. So if you fly the westwind 1 at 23 kts crosswind, you have not become a test pilot. It was never meant to be a limiting factor for design purposes, thus it is no different than climbing out @ 15 kts over recommended climb speed.

In fact it could be that a crosswind of far less than maximum demonstrated is extremely risky on an ice covered runway.

 

[M. St. Lawrence]

Puremuscle---YES

 

[say again]

I've seen gusts to 50 a couple of times, and f-ed it up everytime. After the landing the x-wind from the Capt. was even worse. It wasn't really that bad.

 

[PureMuscle]

Puremuscle---YES

Haha, coolest thing ever man.

I'd love to hear stories if you want to share them!

 

[English]

I don't get out much.

The messiest for me so far was taking off and landing at ONT (8R) with the Santa Anas blowing 020@45 gusting to 58 in a little jet. Yeehaw!

 

[typhoonpilot]

Landing in Buffalo during the wind storm in November 2003. Perfectly clear day, beautiful actually, but winds 20 degrees off the runway at 43 G 56. Rough as **** below 1000 ft too. It worked out OK but I wouldn't do it again.

I'm surprised your airplane let you land. I'm not saying that in a mean way. A few years ago the wind was over 70 knots in PIT and the airport closed for arrivals. When it re-opened we popped over from Dayton and it was still 40 gusting to 56, pretty much right down the runway. We landed okay in a 737 but watched two Airbii go-around during the taxi in. Arriving at the terminal we noticed not an Airbus in sight, only Boeing and Douglas products. Something about ground speed min in the Airbus that causes a problem in those situations ?


TP

 

[Ty Webb]

Sustained tailwind at FL 370 165 KTS on Thanksgiving Day a few years ago, DFW-ATL. Landed 25 minutes early, only to find the gate occupied. Did the "elephant walk" around the ramp three times, ended up blocking in 15 minutes late. . . . . . Defeat, snatched from the jaws of victory. . . . . Atlanta style!

Worst winds . . . . couldn't say for sure, but as a newhire, a 60 knot direct tailwind on the ILS that changed to L&V over the numbers was a memorable event . . . . silky smooth landing on a wet runway, though.

 

[LXApilot]

Unbelievable

49kt gusts 70 degrees off runway centerline while in heavy rain on ILS landing southeast at Sarasota, Florida in a Piper Arrrow. Landed and taxied in, thought about the experience later- WOW

 

[NookyBooky]

Santa Anas

I Was doin' touch and goes in my cub the other day with 65knt cross winds. No problems. My dirty rolls that I was doin' just after take off were kind of sloppy though.........but I guess that sort of thing is what sets apart the men from the boys*






























*Disclaimer to the cheesedicks on this board w/o a sense of humor: this is a sarcastic statement.

 

[stingray]

180kts crosswind this past winter at FL410, doing the east coast shuttle, somewhere northbound over the carolinas. I did have 160kts direct tailwind the day earlier, Austin to Boca Raton.