If you fly 70KIAS on final, and the GPS shows 100KTS GS
That’s a REALLY good method to understand where the wind is coming from! How did you develop that :-)))
If unsure, make a low pass first. Or even, make a high pass, go around, make a low pass, go around, only then to land.
The wind this weekend will probably be from the south west, 10-12 KT or so. Which means it will mostly be crosswind when you land. That is how Aero is, with a built-in crosswind :-)
What you really should be watching is that you do not accidentally land with a tailwind component. If the wind is 90 degrees to the runway, a small change in wind direction could easily give you 5 KT tailwind, which could have an unpleasant effect on landing distance on a grass runway that would probably be a little wet.
I would never land on an unmanned airfield without checking the wind sock. In a near-direct crosswind, it would be really silly not to do it, for the above reason. So, definitely make the overhead join (or if that concept appears confusing to you, just do something that will take you over the airfield before landing).
By all means, cross check with ground speed from the GPS is you can do that on finals without getting distracted. But only the wind sock indicates present, actual wind at ground level.
When the wind gusts, it usually shifts slightly to the right at the same time (degrees will increase). So – if the windsock is pointing absolutely straight across the runway, then it is best to land with the wind from the left. Then, if the wind gusts when you land, it will most likely shift so to give you a little head wind component.
You will have the general idea of the wind from forecasts studied before take-off, and from calling Sønderborg AFIS on 126,4 as you get closer to Ærø. But with the wind more or less directly across the runway, there is no substitute for checking the wind sock.
Have a very nice trip!
I guess the thing with windsocks is that different grades portray different winds. A small windsock might mean 20kt at 90 degrees to the post. A large one at Frankfurt or wherever may mean 40kts. Me – I’d get as many local METAR’s as possible (maybe easier in the UK with relatively close reporting stations), and know what I am likely to experience. Then I’d look at the windsock downwind or overhead and try and confirm, and then I’d check it again on final and apply the appropriate wind correction technique and see how my final approach is looking. If it’s a mess and not under control go around and do something different. If after that, there’s still an issue, and for some crazy reason the wind of 30kts crosswind, well I’d go home, or divert to a bigger airport/airfield with a known runway condition.
Most places will have non-aviation weather reporting stations reasonably close, just look at Weather Underground or forecast.io to get an idea of local winds.
As for the overhead join I don’t practise that a lot.
Interesting. Myself I prefer to do it at unmanned grass fields. Not so much because of wind, but other factors. What about damages or obstructions on the runway? Especially somewhere around the midway point? Are you sure you would spot that whilst on short final, when you are focused on hitting the threshold?
While I do get your point about avoiding any traffic that’s directly or almost directly over the runway, I wouldn’t want to land on a grass runway without previously having had a look at it.
One example is (a modest amount of) standing water on the runway. You won’t see that on short final and it will all look nice and green. If you go overhead, you will see that straight away.
Views?
Views? Yes, I agree. I also agree that wind is just one of the things that flying overhead should reveal. Another example:
A pilot was fined for landing at a temporarily closed airfield – Work in Progress on the runway, as I recall. It was NOTAM’ed and the pilot had not checked notams before flight. I guess not everyone checks notams before every flight. But the closure was also marked with X’es on the runway or in the signal square. Approaching straight in, the pilot did not see any X’es until after landing. From above they would have been easy to spot.
I came across a couple of Orville Wrights recently, when I had landed at a remote unmanned field, and had managed to suss the wind direction out, successfully I might add. The small sock is almost hidden.
As we departed, they came on the Unicom, and I helpfully told them the wind direction. They replied, that they would continue with their chosen approach. Ok, said I, and decided to sit back and watch. This was the downwind runway. As they approached, at a fairly high speed, I again politely suggested that they may consider a Go Around. It was now blowing ten knots. No reply. We watched as they floated, and floated, and eventually stuck in some power, narrowly missing the trees at the end. It was close. I entered and back tracked, and not a word from them. They circled and came in on the correct runway, after we departed.
Now, maybe they were practicing, they were certainly rude, but I wonder how many arrive, scare themselves witless, and unfortunately do not have a clue about how to find the wind direction.
Views?
#13
Regarding the view I usually inspect the windsock and the field on the downwind leg. I prefer to avoid the overhead join and join on the downwind leg, like in the US, and have a look from there. If I have been in contact with the airport, it is an airport I use often etc. and there is no traffic, and the general direction of travel makes it a good choice I will join the base leg.
