Friday, November 08, 2013

Adventure Scratch

Big Sigh.

Murphy and I were all set to fly down to North Carolina today to see Keads and Bob and take in an air show tomorrow. I've spent the last couple of weeks fantasizing about warbirds and BBQ and shooting, and I even turned down overtime at work this week-end to make it happen. I dug deep into the gun safe and pulled out a couple of valued pistols that don't get much action there days just in honor of the special company that I'd planned to shoot with. This was going to be a great week-end and probably my last long flight before winter weather and other pending commitments shut me down for a while.

Alas...

Winds at the airport when we got there this morning were 18 knots, gusting to 31. My humble Cessna has a demonstrated crosswind ability of 15 knots, and this wind is pretty close to a direct crosswind on the only runway the airport has.

I mulled it. I pondered it. I talked to a few other pilots, all of whom had already decided not to fly today. I flipped a couple of mental coins and "try it" won a lot of the tosses. Then I thought of what the FAA investigators and my insurance company would say if I wrecked trying to take off in those winds.

Damn it.

Have a great week-end, Keads and Bob. Murphy and I will be thinking about you guys from back here in West Virginia.

5 comments:

  1. Sorry about that! I was looking forward to it. You have a standing rain check here anytime.

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  2. Always remember that" discretion is the better part of valor"

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  3. High cross wind take-offs are not fun. You made a wise decision.

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  4. You've obviously heard about old, bold pilots.

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  5. Smart call on the winds. Remember the max demomstrated in the manual is a brand new airplane with a new engine flown by a professional test pilot.

    Though you ought to try the Sherpa in a heavy crosswind. We didn't call it the "flying billboard" for nothing.

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