You know it's windy when....
08-25-2013, 11:12 AM
#1
Thread Starter
You know it's windy when....
Your plane's tail comes off the ground with a touch of throttle above idle.
Your plane takes off in under 2 feet at 1/3rd throttle.
Your plane goes backwards at idle into the wind without dropping a wing, nose or anything.
Your plane gets tossed around during a high speed cross wind flyby.
Your plane flies by on a high speed pass at 1/3rd throttle as if it were wide open throttle.
Landing becomes one of the most difficult things ever done.
Flying in winds of 15-18 with 20 MPH gusts today, cross winds, turbulence. What a blast! Landing was extremely tough as the place I fly has a two level pole barn, and the wind was coming over it from the southwest, which made the wind unpredictable at that end of the landing strip, which is right where you come in. So keeping it between the tall corn on the left, and the real warbird parts on the right was a challenge.
I met that challenge, and got the plane down without hitting anything. Just as it touched down though a gust blew over the barn, and caused it to ground loop just as the wheels touched, caught the prop and snapped it, but other than that, I think I did pretty damned good. Flying in this kind of wind is the most challenging where I fly. Any other direction, taking off and landing is easy, but from the south, or south west, it is a real challenge. I think it make a better pilot of one as you really need to focus and stay ahead of the plane, especially when the wings are wagging with each gust. When it was down, it was rocking from the wind.
What a blast! I flew my modified LT40 in this today, but there was no way at all I woud even attempt it with the 4*120. Last time I flew in winds like this, but under 12 MPH, I could not keep it lined up, I had to crab it just to get it close and as soon as I tried to straighten it up to land it would drift over the corn on the left, and I wound up landing it down wind instead. Today there would be no way to land it without some damage to it, I feel it would literally be coming in sideways, I was seeing it in good profile last time, in stronger winds, no doubt is would do worse.
Your plane takes off in under 2 feet at 1/3rd throttle.
Your plane goes backwards at idle into the wind without dropping a wing, nose or anything.
Your plane gets tossed around during a high speed cross wind flyby.
Your plane flies by on a high speed pass at 1/3rd throttle as if it were wide open throttle.
Landing becomes one of the most difficult things ever done.
Flying in winds of 15-18 with 20 MPH gusts today, cross winds, turbulence. What a blast! Landing was extremely tough as the place I fly has a two level pole barn, and the wind was coming over it from the southwest, which made the wind unpredictable at that end of the landing strip, which is right where you come in. So keeping it between the tall corn on the left, and the real warbird parts on the right was a challenge.
I met that challenge, and got the plane down without hitting anything. Just as it touched down though a gust blew over the barn, and caused it to ground loop just as the wheels touched, caught the prop and snapped it, but other than that, I think I did pretty damned good. Flying in this kind of wind is the most challenging where I fly. Any other direction, taking off and landing is easy, but from the south, or south west, it is a real challenge. I think it make a better pilot of one as you really need to focus and stay ahead of the plane, especially when the wings are wagging with each gust. When it was down, it was rocking from the wind.
What a blast! I flew my modified LT40 in this today, but there was no way at all I woud even attempt it with the 4*120. Last time I flew in winds like this, but under 12 MPH, I could not keep it lined up, I had to crab it just to get it close and as soon as I tried to straighten it up to land it would drift over the corn on the left, and I wound up landing it down wind instead. Today there would be no way to land it without some damage to it, I feel it would literally be coming in sideways, I was seeing it in good profile last time, in stronger winds, no doubt is would do worse.
08-25-2013, 02:05 PM
#4
Thread Starter
I dont mind flying in wind, as long as it isnt from the south, over the roof of the barn, curling around and making your plane do unpredictable things! 
Though it does make for an interesting day flying!
Though it does make for an interesting day flying!
08-25-2013, 02:11 PM
#5
Around here this year that's the only way you will fly is if you fly when it's windy ! It's never as relaxing when on a less windy or calm day but it makes you a better pilot. You will also see that the larger and heavier a plane gets the better it handles in strong winds !
08-25-2013, 09:23 PM
#9
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I've flown several times in winds up to 20mph and I've been flying a month. Likes the poster said a consistent wind is okay and if anything it makes take offs shorter and landings seem to happen slower.
its that ground effect of the wind rolling over the land that gets you. I've been gliding nicely into a head wind coming for landing and then wham a gust pushed the plane back up and round you go again.
all part of the learning curve though.
When I get good at flying I think I'd fly in most winds. I'm keeping my trainer specifically for this.
its that ground effect of the wind rolling over the land that gets you. I've been gliding nicely into a head wind coming for landing and then wham a gust pushed the plane back up and round you go again.
all part of the learning curve though.
When I get good at flying I think I'd fly in most winds. I'm keeping my trainer specifically for this.
08-25-2013, 09:36 PM
#10
Winds up to 20..... Heck here in Texas that is just a breeze.
You know its windy when you have to use the ailerons on your wing to maneuver it towards the airplane you are about to assemble at the flying field.
You know its windy when you have to use the ailerons on your wing to maneuver it towards the airplane you are about to assemble at the flying field.
08-26-2013, 02:46 AM
#11
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Fly in the wind is a normal thing for me, and i think it is also a very interesting thing to fly my airplane in a wind. The only problem is that i have to abandon the cost which will happen on my airplane crash.
08-26-2013, 04:46 AM
#12
You get to the field, get the wing out of the car, go to get the fuse, and the wing attempts to take off by itself heading downwind... Well, I just left the fuse in the car, and went to pick up the wing and go home:-) Of course in our area 90% of the days the wind is way less than 10mph. In some other places they are not that lucky... and they adapt:-)
Gerry
Gerry
08-26-2013, 05:02 AM
#13
Moderator
Here in Texas as well as other windy places it's pretty standard for guys to have a windy day plane just be about to get out on days like that. My Ultra Stick and Kaos are excellent in the wind, as is (surprisingly) my Parkzone Stryker. I've had that little foamy out in very whippy 30 mph winds before and it still flies like a beast. IMO, a heavyish Kaos is as good as it gets for a windy day plane, with an Ugly Stick a very close second and a good bit more beginner friendly due to the straight wing and generous vertical stabilizer that weathevanes into the wind really quickly. Guys who are thinking about keeping their trainers for windy day flying are barking up the wrong tree, because a trainer has a lot of negatives in that environment. They are too lightly loaded, they are too airspeed sensitive in pitch, and the dihedral makes them roll away from any side breeze. Trainers are nice later on for those calm days when you just want to make lazy circles around the flying field, not for fighting gusty and turbulent wind.
08-26-2013, 05:05 AM
#14
Moderator
And we don't even call it a windy day in Fort Worth unless you have to get someone to hold your wing while you hook up the aileron extension to keep it from blowing away. I know several older guys who won't even fly on those days, but I've always had to get the most out of my trips to the field. So I've had several days over the last few years when I've had the flying site all to myself as the girly men wait for the wind to die down in the evening so they can fly their pretty IMAC machines.
08-26-2013, 06:04 AM
#16
Thread Starter
I dont have no stinking trainer! LOL It may LOOK like a trainer, but that wing does't roll upright anymore, I made sure of that! Amazing how different it can fly when you take the Dihedral out and bolt it down. I am thinking of putting larger ailerons on and giving them more throw. When I was flying yesterday I flipped it over, my wife, who never comes to see me fly was there and said, your upside down. Yep, and continued to fly it around like that. That LT40 is a great all around plane. My 4* has more dihedral to it than that one does.
Amazing how different it can fly when you take the Dihedral out and bolt it down. I am thinking of putting larger ailerons on and giving them more throw. When I was flying yesterday I flipped it over, my wife, who never comes to see me fly was there and said, your upside down. Yep, and continued to fly it around like that. That LT40 is a great all around plane. My 4* has more dihedral to it than that one does.
08-26-2013, 07:59 AM
#17
They say that a good pilot breaks ground and flies into the wind...
In our club we have some pilots that break wind and fly into the trees... (or, sometimes the corn).
Wind really cleans the airfield. In a windy day, there is nobody out...
Gerry
In our club we have some pilots that break wind and fly into the trees... (or, sometimes the corn).
Wind really cleans the airfield. In a windy day, there is nobody out...
Gerry
08-26-2013, 10:11 AM
#20
Congratulations on conqureing the wind! One comment though. I've been teaching RC in Oklahoma for 18 years now. We ususally stop teaching at 16 mph due to the facts the students learn very little when they are fighting winds and associated gusts like that.
For 99% of all RC planes there is absolutely no need for the plane to be lined up with the runway before touch down. It is perfectly accptable to touch down in the crab and then turn to roll down the centerline of the runway.
The need to go parallel to the line of flight is true of full scale planes but our landing gear are relatively 1000's of times stronger than a full scale plane.
So make it easier on yourself, ago ahead and get used to touching down in the crab till you get the skills of flying in the wind mastered. Then add the "polish" of makeing that full scale type in-to-the- wind cross controlled slip down.
MTC YMMV
For 99% of all RC planes there is absolutely no need for the plane to be lined up with the runway before touch down. It is perfectly accptable to touch down in the crab and then turn to roll down the centerline of the runway.
The need to go parallel to the line of flight is true of full scale planes but our landing gear are relatively 1000's of times stronger than a full scale plane.
So make it easier on yourself, ago ahead and get used to touching down in the crab till you get the skills of flying in the wind mastered. Then add the "polish" of makeing that full scale type in-to-the- wind cross controlled slip down.
MTC YMMV
08-26-2013, 11:05 AM
#21
I thought this was interesting. It is a chart of wind speeds across the US. It was developed for the wind turbine industry and shows average wind speeds about 240 feet off the ground. The windiest parts of the country are down the middle (purple). If you want calm winds, head for the Southeast or parts of the West.
08-26-2013, 01:02 PM
#25
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i thought we had problems with wind in uk most of us never fly over 20 mph but it makes for good practice, easier to take off but harder to land,reading your comments if i lived in usa i probably would never fly however went to california in 95 it just seemed nice and warm no wind the place to live for flyers , cheers
