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cross winds concerns

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jlno7(at)aim.com
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Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2008 7:47 am Post subject: cross winds concerns

Does anyone know the maximum crosswind that a beginning student pilot can safely fly when taking lessons in a Kitfox 1?  Is there a guideline or is it just judgment?

 

 Jerry Novak

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n85ae

Joined: 14 Mar 2007
Posts: 403

Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2008 8:04 am Post subject: Re: cross winds concerns

Probably 5 or less if you are a student. I tried 15-20 on a gusty day

as a non-student and did a sweet 270 right in front of the airport 

restaraunt at lunch time a couple years ago. Groundlooping is not 

fun.



Jeff

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Guy Buchanan

Joined: 16 Jul 2006
Posts: 1204
Location: Ramona, CA

Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2008 8:32 am Post subject: cross winds concerns

At 08:44 AM 4/4/2008, you wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		  Does anyone know the maximum crosswind that a beginning student 

pilot can safely fly when taking lessons in a Kitfox 1?  Is there a 

guideline or is it just judgment?


	


         Personally I would start out with something very near 0. (We 

get that reliably before 8am.) I would then work up. The upper limit 

is defined by comfort. One technique I use regularly is to set up the 

landing while on final. This is called the "slip" landing technique. 

It lets you know, worst case, whether your plane will fly the 

attitude required to land: whether you have enough rudder authority; 

whether a wing or other hardware is too low; etc. You have to be 

careful because in a strong crosswind you will be in a very strong 

slip and will therefore have to watch that you keep the speed well 

above stall. Note that I said worst case. The wind on the ground is 

nearly always much less than that at altitude, which means you can 

sometimes get in even when it looks, on final, like you won't; just 

be ready to go around.

Guy Buchanan

San Diego, CA

K-IV 1200 / 582-C / Warp / 100% done, thanks mostly to Bob Ducar.

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Guy Buchanan
Deceased K-IV 1200
A glider pilot too.

wingnut

Joined: 11 Jan 2006
Posts: 356

Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2008 10:19 am Post subject: Re: cross winds concerns

I asked my instructor the same thing when I was taking lessons in my Kitfox. His reply was that, lacking the rigorous testing that conventional airplanes go though to determine the safe cross wind component, a good rule of thumb is 20% of the stall speed. That's only 8mph in a Kitfox but keep in mind that this is only that component of the wind that is directly across the runway. So, if you have a wind that is crossing the runway at 30 degrees, then the cross wind component half the actual wind speed so 16mph is fine. Gusting is another issue. I'm personally not comfortable with gusts beyond +5.

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Luis Rodriguez
Model IV 1200
Rotax 912UL
Flying Weekly
Laurens, SC (34A)

n85ae

Joined: 14 Mar 2007
Posts: 403

Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2008 10:40 am Post subject: Re: cross winds concerns

Kitfox with the flaperons can land in enormously high crosswinds. More so

than most certficated planes. The issue is you can also get yourself into

deep "stuff", by doing that too much. Since it makes you braver than you

should.



I have a really big grass glider field nearby and have practiced 20 kt.

crosswind landings in the series 5 before. It is doable, but I would not

recommend it on a paved narrow runway.



Stay close to zero is the best advice.



Jeff

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Michel

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 966
Location: Norway

Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2008 11:45 am Post subject: cross winds concerns

 	  Quote: 	
		   From: n85ae [n85ae(at)yahoo.com]

 Kitfox with the flaperons can land in enormously high crosswinds.


	


I agree that my model 3 flaperons give good roll control in gusty crosswind but the problem is to keep the plane from windvaning when the three wheels are on the ground.



Cheers,

Michel

Norway

Kitfox 3 - Jabiru 2200

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dave

Joined: 22 Sep 2006
Posts: 1382

Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2008 3:25 pm Post subject: Re: cross winds concerns

I would keep X winds   at  90 degrees  to   5 knots or less.  This is where you get to hone in your directional control skills.  Once again look at my videos and look landing on one wheel or take offs on one wheel.  You should be competent in being able to one wheel your airplane down the runway to show yourself and instructor that you have good yaw authority



   Some one wheel action here  about  1 in 20 seconds into the movie     http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=5j7aBw90n9U

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