Tue May 31, 2016 4:31 pm
#1459205
Scared myself on my last flight
I am an 80 hour PPL with 13 hours on tailwheel, and 5 hours on type.
Runway in use on take off was 28, the wind was 300@12kts. I did consider asking to use 31, and think this was a factor that stuck in my mind on RTB, but I decided that I would be ok taking off from 28 and it would be good crosswind practise. I went through the crosswind take off technique during taxi, lined up and went. I was slightly surprised at how much correction I had to use on taking off and did veer left of the centreline, but corrected accordingly and settled down to climbing out. I remember thinking that I would definately ask for 31 on landing, again cementing 31 in my mind. It was a bit 'lumpy' on climb out, but smoothed out above 1400ft, and was a lovely evening for flying. I climbed to 4000ft and did some steep turns, slow flight, stalls, glide and sideslips. Time to head back.
I called for rejoin and was given the wind at 012/12kts and given my choice of runway and join. Why I didn't opt for 10, I don't know, but chose 31 and was given clearance to join downwind. I didn't even think to calculate the crosswind component and I don't recall looking at the windsock!
I called downwind, turned base, then final and given landing clearance. Approach was good, but hard work keeping lined up. I flared a bit high and bounced slightly, then decided to go around. Powered up, levelled off and then for some reason decided to land. Power off, flare and again a slightly heavy landing but with a smaller bounce this time. Then I realised I was going off to the right into wind and it took all my effort to keep on the runway which I only just managed, but at one point the right wing was raising and I thought I was going to scrape the left wing and ground loop. It all happened very fast but I managed to stop, collect myself and taxi slowly back in. Even the ATCO called and said those tailwheel aircraft can be tricky in a crosswind.
I felt a right idiot and consider myself very lucky to have got away without any damage.
On reflection, I realise that my concerns with the crosswind before taking off, I had already made the decision to use 31 on landing. I did not take on board the wind direction and strength on rejoin, and then did not consider the crosswind component and the options on landing. I did not look at the windsock either. Why did I abort the go around, I don't know, but once committed to it, I should have carried it through.
A few lessons learnt for me, for sure.
I am an 80 hour PPL with 13 hours on tailwheel, and 5 hours on type.
Runway in use on take off was 28, the wind was 300@12kts. I did consider asking to use 31, and think this was a factor that stuck in my mind on RTB, but I decided that I would be ok taking off from 28 and it would be good crosswind practise. I went through the crosswind take off technique during taxi, lined up and went. I was slightly surprised at how much correction I had to use on taking off and did veer left of the centreline, but corrected accordingly and settled down to climbing out. I remember thinking that I would definately ask for 31 on landing, again cementing 31 in my mind. It was a bit 'lumpy' on climb out, but smoothed out above 1400ft, and was a lovely evening for flying. I climbed to 4000ft and did some steep turns, slow flight, stalls, glide and sideslips. Time to head back.
I called for rejoin and was given the wind at 012/12kts and given my choice of runway and join. Why I didn't opt for 10, I don't know, but chose 31 and was given clearance to join downwind. I didn't even think to calculate the crosswind component and I don't recall looking at the windsock!
I called downwind, turned base, then final and given landing clearance. Approach was good, but hard work keeping lined up. I flared a bit high and bounced slightly, then decided to go around. Powered up, levelled off and then for some reason decided to land. Power off, flare and again a slightly heavy landing but with a smaller bounce this time. Then I realised I was going off to the right into wind and it took all my effort to keep on the runway which I only just managed, but at one point the right wing was raising and I thought I was going to scrape the left wing and ground loop. It all happened very fast but I managed to stop, collect myself and taxi slowly back in. Even the ATCO called and said those tailwheel aircraft can be tricky in a crosswind.
I felt a right idiot and consider myself very lucky to have got away without any damage.
On reflection, I realise that my concerns with the crosswind before taking off, I had already made the decision to use 31 on landing. I did not take on board the wind direction and strength on rejoin, and then did not consider the crosswind component and the options on landing. I did not look at the windsock either. Why did I abort the go around, I don't know, but once committed to it, I should have carried it through.
A few lessons learnt for me, for sure.