Assuming the wind direction is running parallel to the runway, what's the highest wind speed you guys are comfy flying in? For the sake of argument, lets say we're talking about a 5-6 pound trainer.

My trainer is the only plane i bring out on windy days. When everyone else is grounded I get good landing and takeoff practice that i otherwise don't usually get. For me, my stopping point is 20 consistant or 30mph gusts.

I've flown in winds up to 35-40 mph, but it wasn't fun. I usually call it a day when it's up around 20-25 mph.

Ken

I'll second 20 to 25 if its down the runway and not gusty. Wind blows but gusts suck[:'(]LOL
sometimes in a steady wind a lot of fun can be had. remember he who flys only on calm days misses out on a lot of fun. or some BS like that LOL I teach my students to fly in the wind, after a few times it becomes habit and barely bothers you.

20 mph constant is not to bad. Gusts during the landing sequence can be nerve racking though. but if it's in line with the runway... no big deal. But most of the time it is not going straight down the runway.

When the winds start blowing 20-30 mph as reported by the weather channel, if I'm desperate to fly, I break out the SPADs. Crosswind or down the runway doesn't matter. If I can't stand up on the flight line, its probably too windy.

Brad

I guess I'm the wimpy one - I don't fly if it's over 17mph (windsock straight out). It's just not fun for me having to fight it. It's me, the pilot, that has to get the experience the others here have before I'll feel comfortable with 20+ winds.

Who among the above posters has actually measured the wind they were flying in? I say that because when I took my hand held anemometer to my local field, I was shocked. I discovered I (and I suspect others) had constantly overestimated wind speed, sometimes by a factor of two.

Dr.1

We have a windsock. I edited my post above yours but I don't trust the weather channel, etc. At about 3MPH windsocks begin orientating themselves towards wind direction and if the are straight out the wind is at approx 17MPH.

Thanks for the replies. BTW, here's a website I found while researching this. I don't trust the weather forecast on the news. Not local enough. There's a lot of helpful info on this site, though.

[link=http://www.usairnet.com/cgi-bin/launch/code.cgi]Link[/link]

At about 3MPH windsocks begin orientating themselves towards wind direction and if the are straight out the wind is at approx 17MPH.

That would depend on the size and material of the windsock. I don't trust weather forecasts, either. They're not area-specific enough. They'll forecast winds of 20-30mph for an entire state.

Dr.1

The link that Kow posted is the weather info I use.

If you have an airport near you, you'll find that this is THE most accurate forcaster you'll ever see - At least, it has been for me!

PS, 15mph is too strong for me to MAIDEN an airplane. Other than that, Hell, I LIKE windy days, it makes flying a challenge!

Here is a link for FAA standards for windsocks:
http://www.faa.gov/airports_airtraff...0_5345_27d.pdf

I maidened a Hot Stik two weeks ago in 15 mph with gusts to 25. Not by real choice but I was determined (and the club was out for our Chili fly and needed something/someone to critique). It's only a problem when you get near the ground. ;-)

I'd say 20 mph steady and I'm out. What can be done vs. what is fun are two different things. I've been flying and had wind storms pipe up and have had to fight them in. What you don't want to do then is try to wait it out and end up having to deadstick into strong headwinds. Steady winds are also much better to fly in than gusty or spotty winds. On days when the windsock is bouncing every which way or confused winds where the gusts come at different angles than the steady winds it's much worse than a steady 10 or 12 down the runway.

PS - needed three clicks of left aileron but was otherwise nicely trimmed from the start.

I wear a broad brimmed hat for the sun; If it won't stay on I sit.

Its not just a function of pilot's skill, but also the capability of the airplane. I had a Sig Kougar that was very comfortable in winds up to 35 mph. None of the airplanes in my fleet now are fun or comfortable in that much wind.
Its also a question of topography. If you are out in a very open area with no trees or obstacles for a half mile upwind, you may experience a laminar airflow of wind all the way to the ground. Its almost like not flying in any wind at all. But someome with trees or buildings nearby can expect turbulance, eddies and rollers that making landing a very white knuckle and unpleasant experience.
So, it isn't just the wieght of the airplane, its the foil used, the aspect ratio, and the topography.

I'd agree with DR1... last summer we had a meeting at our field and the winds were consistently blowing what folks thought were around 20 mph. Then one of our guys showed up with a handheld anemometer, and it showed 10-12mph for what I felt were marginal flight conditions.

There's a couple of us that now take a more practical approach. If the wind is blowing our 6lb planes (H9 Arrows, Aerostar, Tiger2) off the flight tables, or it flips them over when taxiing out, it's time to stay on the ground. But I also agree with MinnFlyer... it's a kick to be ablle to land a plane "vertically" when airspeed cancels out groundspeed.

I flew my trainer two weeks ago in 20-30 mph gusts. It was a blast until I landed. My first aproach was high so I circled around the field. During my third turn I flew through a roller or down draft. Smash my plane was smacked into the ground. Thankfully it wasn't to bad I had her repaired and ready to fly the next weekend. All the guys at my field won't fly in a stiff breeze. I kind of like it. It leaves plenty of flying time for me!

If the weather people are saying it is 15 mph that is actually pretty windy, the real gauge though is if I have trouble keeping my hat on then it is windy enough that it not to much fun to fly.

The maiden of my Stick 40 was in 25 mph contidtions and my UCD 3d was in 15-20 Mph. Fun stuff, but the wind never dies around here. In fact i have never flown my UCD in dead calm condtions.

Stick 40

When the wind blew my 15# Fokker Dr.1 off the assembly stand (doing minor damage) down in Sumter one year, I decided not to fly. []

Dr.1

Forecast calls for 5-10= good day of flying!

10-15=were flyin,but be carefull if it picks up while landing if its blowing across the runway

15-20=might get a couple flights in before 11 or noon,but then it gets scary

20= might as well stay home and not chance it


....this is from my standpoint as a new(but solo) flyer and what yahoo weather calls for. At 15mph the little windsock is almost straight. And the windspeed generally starts to pick up to what their calling for at 11 or 12 noon around here.

we have a wind gauge at our field that can be phoned into for a reading,as well as our clubs website www.flypcc.org also has a cam and gives wind readings.
for a trainer and beginning pilot I would think 10-15 mph max for starters, when our gauge is reading 15mph not alot of guys are flying,some of the giant scale guys dont mind flying in higher wind speeds the larger planes can deal with it alot better than a trainer,I don't mind it at about a 10 mph reading, over that and it becomes more chore than fun.

I've never had the luxery of having the wind come down the runway, it's always a cross wind..

We do not have a wind gauge. However our wind sock is calibrated at 30 knots. I have flown when it was straight out and then some. Not a trainer though. I would ground most trainers at 20-25mph. A high wing also is a problem to taxi in high wind. It will flip over in the cross wind.
The other thing is the bumps in the wind.(for lack of a better term) There are days here with a steady 20mph that are fine. There are other days that the wind goes from 15-25 in an instant that are terrible.

David