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Wind and low clouds...

Old 01-30-2004, 08:01 PM
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rsjr
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Default Wind and low clouds...

I was flying my TF Stinson Reliant today and I noticed some clouds with low bases coming my way. I thought I'd see just how low they were and flew the plane up to meet them. I've never done this before, only read about it in the forums. Let me tell you these clouds were a lot lower than they looked!! The Stinson started to disapear and I think my heart stopped for a second. I rolled the plane left and dropped out of the cloud, enough of that ! Then a huge gust of wind hit, must have been 50 mph, followed by sustained winds of 30-40 mph (I'm just estimating now). I panicked and my first instict was to land now! I got ahold of myself and kept flying in big circles, plenty of fuel, no reason to hurry,calm down... I brought the plane around on final into the wind and reduced power a little, no need for flaps... Now the plane is slowly heading towards me at the end of the runway, litterally hovering at 20` in the air! Reduce power... a little more...a foot off the ground now, chop power! The stinson drops the last foot on all three wheels undamaged! I ran over and held the plane down to keep it from blowing away. I feel lucky today!! 20 minutes later the wind died down enough to put the plane away.
Old 01-30-2004, 11:28 PM
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jettstarblue
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Default RE: Wind and low clouds...

Sweet!
I used to take my Cox powered Ace High Mk II powered glider up 'til it dissapeared, then shove forward, and dive out of the base of the cloud. Yeah, sometimes they ARE a lot lowere than they look, but there's only one way to find out, right?

Jetts
Old 01-31-2004, 12:10 AM
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Default RE: Wind and low clouds...

Roger that Jetts! I felt like I was flying a glider in a hurricane!! I just re-engined the Stinson with a 33cc homelite conversion (had a 31cc ryobi in it b-4) and without the extra power I don't think I could have saved her. This post would be in the "crash pictures and discussion forum", and somebody in North Dakota would wake up tomorrow with a present in their yard!
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Old 01-31-2004, 12:25 AM
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Default RE: Wind and low clouds...

Extremely nice bird!

Jetts
Old 01-31-2004, 11:05 AM
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Cactus.
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Default RE: Wind and low clouds...

we know this well when out slope soaring, the cold air is rushing out of this thing and makes a front as it comes closer, also known as a micro burst, these things can down fullsize aircraft!
once passed the wind will calm again and the temperature will rise again.
It's been known around here for us guys to be on the north cliffs freezing our asses off with a front cloud a few miles south of us, while meanwhile the girls are shopping down on the south coast with the front to the north ( about 10 miles from us ) and are wearing t-shirts.
they looked surprised when we came shivering back home
Old 01-31-2004, 12:20 PM
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Deadeye
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Default RE: Wind and low clouds...

Ya gotta love those unpredictable Montana winds. Makes life interesting!
Old 01-31-2004, 12:41 PM
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Default RE: Wind and low clouds...

Sounds like alot of fun! I live in the Chicago area and experience the low ceilings and gusts from time to time. It can be unnerving to punch into the clouds and lose sight of your airplane. When I have had enough, I just put all of the sticks to the lower right corner. The plane goes into a low speed snap roll type of spin which gives me time to regain sight before hitting terra firma. Works for me!

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