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1st Strong Crosswind CTLS Landing - 1 yr ago.


Doug G.

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It is KFAR - Fargo, ND. My home field. If I remember correctly the wind was gusting to about 23 kts (the action of the plane makes me think it was pretty steady), don't remember the angle, but 0 flaps. I don't remember the speed, but it would have been 62 plus approx. .5 gust factor. I quite often request a "wind check" when I am on final to get something more current than ATIS. That just prepares me mentally - the feel of the plane is what really tells me what is going on. I do a little better at holding center these days...most of the time. I only have about 9,000 feet on that runway to get it down. :)

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Doug, looked good to me with that type of Xwind.  You did a good job of keeping direction after touch down and didn't baloon back up.  How many landings do you have now?  I notice your video doesn't show much of the prop turning as many videos do.  Maybe a newer camera with higher frame rate like a Go Pro?

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Doesn't the altitude at Mammoth make direct comparisons with Fargo problematic?

 

The altitude reduces climb performance and increases ground speeds.  The thing that makes Mammoth so nasty is high terrain in close proximity to the runway.  The peaks are over 13,000' and cause a lot of shear and rotors.  20 gusting to 30 with left and right crosswinds at the same time and negative shear to top it off is common.  I have read on the AOPA forum that anything less than a twin turbine is crazy for flying here.  In fact Adam said the King Air was his minimum for flying here. 

 

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We are tired for 18th highest average winds (12.2 mph) in the lower 48, higher than Chicago. Part of it is because it is extremely flat in the Red River (of the North) valley. All the obstacles are man made.

Today I was going to fly to help with Young Eagles flights. Went from a steady 9kts to 29kt gusts in the time I it took to pre-flight this a.m. was gusting at 35 by the time I got the plane back in the hangar - frustrating!

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Despite the moniker of the "Windy City" for Chicago Fargo is generally windier. :-)

FYI - Chicago is "Windy City", much worse than Fargo and Mammoth combined...but interms of politics... Physically, windy only at the bottom of skyscrapers...

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  • 2 weeks later...

I've done 18 knots direct x-wind in a CT and it looks like you had a bit more lean into it than me (mines filmed as well).... pretty strong wind, nice landing!

 

Nothing like a good x-wind  :o

 

Haven't hit too much this year yet, I look at spring now as a time to get sharp on x-wind again.. but this year has been so bad it's not even worth flying most days (gusting 40-60 knots etc.) Haven't seen more than a 9-10knt xwind in months...

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