Lead Sled
New Member
Anyone like to share their worst crosswind experience? I was wondering what more experienced pilots have made it through. No matter what kind of plane and whether you felt comfortable doing it or not.
OK, I'll start. Awhile back, returning from an uneventful round robin in a C-172 I came back to find that the winds had shifted and increased drastically. 230 at 12 with gusts of 25 (far stronger than any TAF I saw or info from WXBRIEF). I took two passes for runway 14 and that was enough for me. 12 knots at 90° felt doable but I just couldn’t take on those gusts……yikes! I diverted to another airport with a more favorable runway direction and waited till things calmed down. Even that landing was not comfortable, 15 gusting 25 but only 40°. I was very inexperienced (still am) and scared to death but managed to do it in one try. And no, it was not a pretty touch down but the plane is still in service!
OK, I'll start. Awhile back, returning from an uneventful round robin in a C-172 I came back to find that the winds had shifted and increased drastically. 230 at 12 with gusts of 25 (far stronger than any TAF I saw or info from WXBRIEF). I took two passes for runway 14 and that was enough for me. 12 knots at 90° felt doable but I just couldn’t take on those gusts……yikes! I diverted to another airport with a more favorable runway direction and waited till things calmed down. Even that landing was not comfortable, 15 gusting 25 but only 40°. I was very inexperienced (still am) and scared to death but managed to do it in one try. And no, it was not a pretty touch down but the plane is still in service!