Unconventional windsock?

Lead Sled

New Member
I work right next to IAD and sit at a red light every morning under the approach for, I guess it’s 1C. Anyway, there are three huge flags at an auto park right under the approach and was curious, do you guys ever take a peak at things like that for an extra aide in wind check?
 
I don't know about IAD, but going into Spirit of St. Louis there is a huge flag on short final for 26L that I always look at to see the winds for myself.
 
I always try to sneak a peek as I come over the numbers if I can find one in the usual locations.

I fly mostly to the same airports (Dulles being one of them), so it isn't hard to keep mental notes of where I need to look.

On the other hand, I avoid wind socks, and ATIS for that matter, in the winter months. Sometimes it's better to not think about what I'm up against. Otherwise it would be "oh jeez...not ANOTHER max crosswind component landing"
 
I work right next to IAD and sit at a red light every morning under the approach for, I guess it’s 1C. Anyway, there are three huge flags at an auto park right under the approach and was curious, do you guys ever take a peak at things like that for an extra aide in wind check?

I have noticed the auto park there, but never the flags. If its the location that I am thinking of then by that point it doesnt even matter anymore. Your pretty much stabilized by that point and should have the correction in there.
 
I have noticed the auto park there, but never the flags. If its the location that I am thinking of then by that point it doesnt even matter anymore. Your pretty much stabilized by that point and should have the correction in there.


Oh great, if you ever start looking for the flags and mess up your approach it's totally my fault :D
 
This was actually on my commercial ride. The examiner asked how I picked which direction to land in the field during a simulated emergency, and I told him the dust off the gravel road allowed me to see where the wind was coming from.
 
When I'm on short final I just lick my finger and stick it out the window to see which direction the wind is coming from. Hasn't let me down yet...
 
Only semi-related, but this is the windsock at Whitehorse, YT.
0436733.jpg
 
This was actually on my commercial ride. The examiner asked how I picked which direction to land in the field during a simulated emergency, and I told him the dust off the gravel road allowed me to see where the wind was coming from.


do cows really stick their backsides into the wind? I've seriously heard a lot of pilots say that, not joking around.
 
I work right next to IAD and sit at a red light every morning under the approach for, I guess it’s 1C. Anyway, there are three huge flags at an auto park right under the approach and was curious, do you guys ever take a peak at things like that for an extra aide in wind check?

use all available resources. wind on water, movement of trees. The rule I read was if the leaves are moving 5-10mph. Limbs moving 10-20mph and trees swaying more than 20-25mph.

Smoke, dust, anything that indicates what the environment is. Not only wind but dust devils and virga as indications of possible windshear.
 
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