I've gotten used to flying in the wind over the last couple of years. I flew my Tiger 2 during a November fun fly back in '06 with the wind blowing a steady 30 mph without any trouble. I built a Tower Trainer .40 MkII ARF last spring, and I've been flying that all year when it seems like we maybe only had three calm days all year.

Well, one day this November, I decided I wanted to go flying even though it was blowing and gusting pretty good. I took my Tower Trainer up and was flying it like I stole it. I was pointing it into the wind and looping it and rolling it and having a blast.

I came around for a landing and thought I'd gotten lucky when the wind seemed to die down for my landing approach. I lined up over the runway and then cut the throttle back to one or two clicks above idle. I was about ten foot above the asphalt when a 35-40 mph gust just roared up again all of the sudden.

The gust picked the plane up and flipped it upside down, then slammed the upside down airplane onto the asphalt. It was totally worth it and I can't wait to fly again when it's blowing like a hairdryer out at the field!