Annoyed wind

[Yenn]

What a day today was, the weather experts said it could be the coldest day of the year and they may be right. I spent all day in my overalls to keep warm and closed the cockpit vents for the first time in 5 years.

 

Sky was clear as a bell and not much turbulence but it was about 15 to 20 kts nearly perpendicular to the runway. Just the time to go and practice cross wind work and see what the trees to to cause turbulence.

 

I only got a small wing waggle at about 30' where the wind was deflected by the trees and expected much more. Had an enjoyable flight down alongside the coastal mountains, looking at a couple of friends places, one with a short strip and far too short for me. Even the ag. pilots in a C185 said it was too short.

 

Up to 4500' to get over the mountains and then down into the Boyne Valley for a short while before I climb over again and back to the coast and Rodds Bay.

 

The wind socks are still flying high and at right angles to the strip so I am looking forward to a handfull of a landing. Power off at Base turn and I find I had assumed too much headwind for the final leg so was too high. No matter slip it off and the tail wind soon has me going past where i should have turned final and still at 700', a steep turn soon gets rid of some height and I am lined up on final, still too close, but nose down, into wind wing down and full opposite rudder, lined up now and still too fast but it is uphill to the strip since we cleared the approaches, still slipping and flaring at the same time and a touch down after a slight balloon and I can't believe how well the little plane does cross wind landings. It just seems as if the wind stops as I touched down and rattle past the house beside the strip, thanking my lucky stars that it went so well as I had an audience of about 6 pilots.

 

Maybe it didn't go so well as nobody else went flying. Did I make it look that bad.

 

 

[rick-p]

Ian you are making me jealous, the wind here today was unbelievable for the best part of the day.

 

My brass monkey is still looking his lost possessions and it was that cold and the Bundy turned to ice.:hittinghead::hittinghead::hittinghead:

 

Regards,

 

Rick-p