Woke yesterday morning to find overcast yet calm conditions. Got daughter up and over to her mom's, then off to the field at around 8:30. Still seemed nice, so I went out and set up airplane, range check, etc got engine started. Taxxied out to the runway, hmm, there's a gust, there's another gust, and of course it's a direct crosswind. I putterd up and down the runway a time or two, thinking. I was only one out there, and I'm not QUITE a beginner, and I've flown the WM SS 40 in winds before, but yesterday.... It would calm down, then out of the blue would come a gust of about 15 mph or so, enough to weathervane the plane on the runway. So I made the decision, and taxxied back to the pits. Then started the second guessing. But in the end I packed up and went home, hoping for better conditions today.

Nope.

Forecast 25-35 mph winds, colder, just plain nasty.


GRRRRR.

If one of the old guys had been there, I would definetly have gone up, at the very least I'd have someone to talk me through a really gusty landing.

I must have made the right decision because:
1. My plane came home in one piece
2. I had no fun.
3. I've been doubting myself all weekend.

<sigh> sometimes I hate being an adult..

Andy

P.S thanks to all the well-wishers about my finger... its' healing up just fine, should get stitches out Tuesday.

I wouldn't call it being a wimp,i went to a fly-in yesterday and there was a lot of experience out there but when the wind came up they stayed on the ground and enjoyed talking to everybody.Seems it just makes good sence to me.
Now i'm mad because some of the members there asked me why didn't i bring my plane,they woulda buddy boxed me but it was my first "other club" i was invited to and didn't know what to expect,o well,next time.

The best in the world know when not to fly. That day you went home with your plane in one piece because you did't like the weather, you took a big step in becoming good. Never let the guys talk in into flying if you don't feel right. They won't be the one going home with a trash bag for a plane. Push youself to be better on those days when you feel real froggy.
Dennis

There are old pilots and bold pilots
But No old bold pilots

Shouldn't this be a "Poll"?

Gary

I fly everything all the time- but that is not necessarily the proper way to go about this "flying" thing!

Never second guess...

What would you be thinking about if you had flown and crashed because of the wind? Would that be worse than what you are thinking about now?

At least it is in one piece so it can fly another day---

I'm with you A. I just finished a winter build and am beside myself wanting to fly it. But March"s gusty winds cost me a nice Corsair two years ago. You're not a wimp, give the weather a couple weeks and everything will be great. That Super Stunts is a blast in a consistent wind though.
Stick with your gut and leave the gusts alone.

I think you made the right decision. I once went out with my Sig Kadet Senior on a very windy day. Two other more experienced fliers leaving the field suggested that I not fly and save it for a better day. Well I had my heart set on flying, and continued to setup. Got my motor started, did a range check and then just stopped and thought about that gusty wind. It would have been nuts to go up. I shutdown the motor and cleaned up and went home. Good decision, because I still have the plane intact. I got some fesh air and still had some fun. There will always be another day.

Knowing your limitations and erroring on the side of caution is an important thing to learn. Your instincts that day said it just wasn't a good idea, and I think it was correct.

The nicer the plane, the less I'll fly it in windy conditions.
I will fly in windy conditons, as I think it make you a better
Pilot. But most times I do not enjoy it, as Mother Nature
starts messing with your airplane moving it where you dont want
it to go.

You did the right thing. I would have stayed on the ground as
well.

The wind here was about borderline for me saturday. I'm building my first kit and need servos and a new engine. This made it easier for me to decide to fly. I guess I'll have to buy a new engine and servos since I didn't plow it into the runway.

As I have heard a full scale pilot say " I would rather be down here wishing I was up there than up there wishing to be to back down here". The wind this spring has been really strong. I have taken off from work twice to fly only to have the wind get up and not get to fly. Oh well summer will be here soon.

Would it be a SPAD you really wouldn't care,,like I don't ,I flew it in a wind and banged it around and crashed from about 50-75 yards down about 6 times before i had to fix it. My spad just way too heavy for the .61 i power it with,otherwise,gust wouldn't hurt .

SPAD RULES

While some may consider you a wimp, you are smart enough to know not to exceed your capability. The better part of valor is to not fly and return when you are comfortable.

I think you did the right thing too. There are times when you just know that it's not a good idea; listen to that voice. There will also be times when the conditions are borderline for your experience, you'll feel confident, and you'll expand your experience level by flying.

I consider myself a half way decent, intermediate pilot, and have learned to judge by the swaying of the trees when I shouldn't even bother going to the field. I also watch the weather reports, and if they say 15 to 20 mph winds I don't go. If they say 10 to 15, it'll depend on how I feel and what I have ready to fly.
Dennis-

i found it a fun challange trying to land in a strong cross wind for my first time.

Here on the coast, the wind blows 10-15 ALL the time. If you want to fly, then you gotta go with it. Landing is of course the toughest in a hard gusting crosswind, but it just makes you sharper if you have to do it a lot. I for one don't mind a steady wind, but the gust are a pain in the a**.

"A mans gatta know his limitations." Truer words were never spoken. You made the right call. If you are alone and or uncomfortable. Don't fly, It is better to not go when you feel this way. Don't second guess, you made the right call.

Mark Shuman

I have an suspision that if you were dubious of your ability to fly in the wind, you might have been nervous and crashed/landed by accedent. My instuctor once told me that if you were nervous about flying, unless you are always nervous (in which case this won't help anything) it is better not to fly if you feel to nervous. You might end up making some BIG mistake.

All in all, I think you did the right thing.

I agree with the many other posts.... you should be alright about your choice not to fly. At the time you felt it was the "right" decision...don't second guess it. Flying when you are lacking confidence or doubting your capability is at best no fun, and at worst may leed to dumb thumbing and result in a broken plane. I believe we all need to learn to handle some wind. Some of us will test our skills against stronger gustier winds than others would. Whenever the winds are gusting or swirling across the field, one of the old axioms driven into me during my full scale pilot training always comes to mind..... "Takeoffs are optional, but landings are mandatory."