National Aeronca Association Bulletin Board

Gail and I flew the Birddog down to Barnwell for a EAA Chapter luncheon. At home, the winds were about nine out of the west. When we left Barnwell, the wind was 18 gusting to 24. While taxing the Dog, it was very difficult to stay close to the center line, however, since the runway heading was pretty close to the wind direction, we had no problem taking off, just kept it between the ditches for a couple of seconds, and whoeeeeeee.
Landing at our place was different, the wind was danged near across the runway. I managed to get the Dog on the ground in one piece, and I sure was glad to come to a complete stop, if you know what I mean. These kind of conditions will make an old man a lot older, and quickly too. I sure am glad I didn't take the Champ (or Supercub), however.
I'm sitting here questioning my wisdom in flying today.

Mike

Mike,

Glad you got down ok but I am in the same corner you are at times. My home runway has one choice, East/West and no long taxiways to offer any relief.

I really check not only the weather but the TAF, the forcast and make sure that the winds are not a direct crosswing and not over 10 knots. Anything more than that and I can take the car. Just not worth risking the airplane IMHO.

Joe A

I guess it is an age thing. Twenty years ago my atitude was....."hey let's try it and see what happens." Today, it it's not a nice day (wind less than 10 knots), I set in the hanger and watch the young whipper snappers.

Dennis

Dennis wrote: Twenty years ago my atitude was....."hey let's try it and see what happens."
Dennis

Thanks for the laugh, I needed it!

I'm sitting here thinking: how does a L16 with those wobbly, soft, sprung "no bounce" (ha!) oleo struts handle a cross wind? Maybe better if you keep the upwind wing way down ?????? It does seem that if the wind gets under the wing, you're in for an exciting time .

Agree with Dennis. In my younger days I landed my Cherokee in a steep cross wind gusting to something like 37 knots. I had our preacher along and coming back from a church convention. Maybe that had something to do with it . Now I'd rather watch someone else fight the odds.

Mike Berg

Mike

It is not the type of landing gear--it is the pilot.

Doug

Dennis wrote:I guess it is an age thing. Twenty years ago my atitude was....."hey let's try it and see what happens." Today, it it's not a nice day (wind less than 10 knots), I set in the hanger and watch the young whipper snappers.

Dennis

Dennis,

Yes, it IS AN AGE thing! When we were young we thought that we were bulletproof. Now as we get older and hopefully wiser, we know how much it is going to hurt (and cost) so we tend to recognize our limits a bit earlier.

Joe A

Joe

That is right, as you age you sit at the hangar and in my case look across the runway and if the tree tops are moving, you just sit, the younger folks come by and say why don't you go flying---they don't understand--if it is windy the ladies are not sunbathing by the pool or sunning in the back yard, why waste gas when you can enjoy the world, pet your airplane and drink a beer. After soooo many years of flying it not the thrill, but the reason you first wanted to fly--to enjoy the earth and it beauty and maybe take your girl friend for a ride. (I married mine). Fighting winds in an Aeronca is for the uninitated--after you are on log book fifteeen plus and in the OF category it is more fun to watch a younger pilot fight the wind and bumps and remember when you were young and bullet proof.
BTW the type landing gear you have on your airplane should not be an issue if your learined to fly and understand what is happening. I have a no bounce gear on my Champ and I fly it all the way to the ramp and don't quit unitl shut down--that is the first thing I was taught 63 years ago when I took my first flying lesson. They didn' have training wheels n airplanes then. I even remembr a mod for a J-3 Cub with a nose wheel in the early 1950's. Fortunately your don't see them anymore or a Cub wouldn't be a Cub. Same reason the Tri-Champ failed.

Doug

joea wrote:

Dennis wrote:I guess it is an age thing. Twenty years ago my atitude was....."hey let's try it and see what happens." Today, it it's not a nice day (wind less than 10 knots), I set in the hanger and watch the young whipper snappers.

Dennis

Dennis,

Yes, it IS AN AGE thing! When we were young we thought that we were bulletproof. Now as we get older and hopefully wiser, we know how much it is going to hurt (and cost) so we tend to recognize our limits a bit earlier.

Joe A

Interesting. I think you're right. Yesterday, while trying to grab a few minutes of flying between the several weeks of seemingly continuous rain and wind we've had, soon as the wind sock was across the runway and wind announced at 11, I said that's it. I thought I was just a wimp here in my later years. However, I think instead I now have much more awareness of how easy it can be to wreck an airplane...and how much it will cost to fix it....and how few persons are even abailable to fix something like an Aeronca. But you're right, I frequently have the young folks who work at the airport ask, hey, why aren't you out flying now. Their only experience though has been in the rental Cherokee (which most of them fly onto the runway unflared and sideways). I try to explain that a taildragger, and especially a light weight one like Aeroncas, are not a windy day airplane. But I think they just write it off as the old guy being a wimp.

Here in Northern Oklahoma you might get 90 days a year that the wind doensn't blow at least 15.....therefore, 90% of my 500 hours have been in windy conditions flying Aeronca's.

The constant wind has made me a better pilot.

Wow, I am really glad to hear the same comments from all you old farts. I thought I was the only one at my age who enjoyed a pleasant flight as opposed to a challenging and exciting flight. At my age, excitement may not be a good thing. I put strong cross wind landings in the same category as the digital exam......grimace and be glad when it is over.

Dennis

SFC Hiatt wrote:Here in Northern Oklahoma you might get 90 days a year that the wind doensn't blow at least 15.....therefore, 90% of my 500 hours have been in windy conditions flying Aeronca's.

The constant wind has made me a better pilot.

I did about 6 years flying in Okla, Enid (Vance) and OKC (where I had a '39 Chief). I remember it blew like crazy frequently, but 95% of the time it was either out of the north or out of the south, and most runways around there were N/S alignment, if there wasn't a cross runway also. I don't remember really ever having much of a crosswind problem. Because of the strong winds, most of my troubles, as I remember, were taxiing rather than taking off and landing.