loftus;n1141272 said:
All bickering and theoretical arguments aside. I am not a CFI, I am a low time pilot with 250 hours in a gyro and about 250 in a FW. My only interest is to be able to be more knowledgeable and safe regarding my future flying experiences and approaches to land, and not to argue theoretical considerations. I tend to fly my approaches to land, even in the gyro at our busy airport (KDED) in a standard pattern, not as thomasant describes his approach in this incident, so I am not concerned here about reverse flow through the blade etc. I find my control inputs and glide slope on approach in an Aircam (High drag fixed wing) are not unlike the gyro except for increased rudder input in the Aircam.
From a pure practical perspective. Assume I am making an approach to land and winds are moderate to high, say 14, gusting to 22. This wind info is the only thing I can actually have clear information about. I cannot know with any real predictability about wind shear and downdrafts etc, but I can assume that these are more likely under these gusty conditions. My present approach for both gyro and FW is to increase power and airspeed by about half the gust factor. In both cases my ground speed will not generally increase, and will possibly be decreased compared to a low wind day. I am not questioning or asking about how long to fly over the runway, how high and when to round out etc.
It seems to me that in both the gyro and the FW I am building in an extra reserve of energy and lift to buffer any possible variations in wind speed close to the ground. (A gyro cannot stall, but still comes down pretty hard when behind the power curve). I understand that when in doubt on landing I will still apply full power and go around. Simple question to the CFI's, is there a flaw in this argument and am I doing something in a gyro which is likely to make my landing less safe?
In my opinion there is nothing wrong or hazardous with carrying more speed on approach in 14kts gusting to 22kts and there is some validity in your adding a little speed to your approach even for a gyroplane Jeffery.
At the Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX) they don’t switch from runway three zero to runway one two till there is a seven knot tail wind. Runway one two is available on request but it creates challenges for the tower. Because I am touching down at the same air speed with a seven knot tail wind my ground speed is at least seven knots higher. In this condition I add a little extra airspeed for gusts.
Sometimes I am the last to land on three zero before they turn it around.
San Luis Obispo has the same procedure but it is a completely different environment. I often use less indicated air speed in gusting conditions.
In my experience wind can change much more quickly than my twenty second approach to land.
I do not have a rule of thumb; I add the extra indicated air speed by feel.
If this was an argument this would support your hypothesis that some extra airspeed is good in gusting conditions. I hope this is not an argument.
I have not found the benefit in carrying more airspeed in gusting conditions other than in the above exceptions.
In my experience the ATIS or the ASOS seldom relates to the actual conditions where I land.
The AWOS can be confusing because it gives the wind in true rather than magnetic. The isogonic lines on your chart will tell you what the variation is.
My prime source of wind information comes from the wind sock that I am going to land near.
Most wind socks that I encounter are fifteen knot wind socks. That is to say if they are full erect when the wind is fifteen knots or greater.
The more I see the wind sock moving around or twitching the more turbulence I prepare for with a little extra power for rudder authority.
At some airports the tetrahedron is the best source of wind information. Some local knowledge has value here.
In my experience every landing is different even when just flying the pattern.
Part of what I do during the approach and the round out is get a feel for the aircraft and how it is responding to my control inputs on that day in those conditions. I like to get a feel for how much pedal pressure will get me the runway alignment I want.
The Predator descends faster in uncoordinated flight so I want to get a feel for that too if I am going to need rudder to stay aligned with my direction of travel.
If you are moving outside the winds you are comfortable with I suggest you build up your experience with winds gradually and don’t hesitate to divert if you are not comfortable.
I have found wind conditions dramatically different just a few miles away.
Many landing mishaps are on the second or third attempt.
It is a long answer to a short question because I feel their is value in the basics.