Sgt. Meyer

GOOD GRIEF!!

HUGGER, this does not support the myth!! It DISPROVES the myth. Read your own argument. Carefully. Please.

1. In itself, turning into head wind or down wind makes no difference ; the airplane only interacts with the air and so it is the frame of reference of the air that matters.

2. Turning whilst crossing a windshear does make a difference ; turning into increasing relative wind increases the total energy* of the plane (temporary increase of air speed or height gain),and turning into decreasing relative wind decreases the total energy* of the plane (temporary decrease of air speed or height loss).A turn into decreasing relative wind is a potential hazard at low altitude.

3. Flying perfect circles with reference to the ground makes irregular circles in the air (with non-zero wind). The rate of turn** is lower when flying headwind and higher when flying downwind. Thus flying a ground pattern at low altitude and allowing very high rate of turn when turning downwind is also a hazard.

* notice that inertia only comes into play in a windshear, or changing wind.

** this is the rate of turn over the ground, if you are keeping your circle perfect.



Notice he says the turns relative to the wind MAKE NO DIFFERENCE. Yes, the wind shear DOES make a difference. His references to turns into an increasing wind and into decreasing wind are under his NO. 2 statement: WINDSHEAR!!

In No. 3 he is talking about trying to tighten your turn in order to maintain your ground track. Read it.

Not one of the high-time pilots or engineer "experts" responding in this thread would disagree with any of these statements.

Does a turn in a steady state wind affect airspeed? NO.

Does trying to fly your normal pattern in a high wind create a hazard? YES. YES!! BUT THAT IS NOT THE SCENARIO OF THE MYTH.

You can fly your traffic pattern (it probably won't be the exact same shape) using your normal inputs. You just have to adjust your timing. Start your turn to base early, normal bank, normal airspeed, normal elevator pressure. You will find yourself screaming across the ground, but your airspeed will not change from your normal pattern UNLESS YOU CHANGE IT.

You will have to turn more than 90° of turn if you want to fly your perpendicular base leg. Expect to find yourself on a longer final or at least a slower one.

IF YOU TRY TO TIGHTEN YOUR TURN OR SLOW THE AIRPLANE'S SPEED OVER THE GROUND YOU WILL DIE. NOT BECAUSE YOU TURNED DOWNWIND, BUT BECAUSE YOU MISHANDLED THE TURN.

Respectfully,

Steve.