Thread: Hot and calm isn't

Went out this morning to practice some takeoffs and landings. Weather was hot and winds calm to maybe 4 knots. On takeoff, I noticed I was being tossed around a bit more than usual from thermals. I line up on final and I have everything nailed. Flaps 30, 55 over the fence. I round out about 5 feet over the runway and start adding back pressure. Everything is lined up and perfect. I'm thinking I'm going to make a perfect landing. At about 3 feet over the runway, in an instant later, I find myself at 15 feet, nose high and not enough airspeed to fly a kite. Herr Rotax rose to the challenge and saved my ass.

So be ready for a go around. I was complacent because a) I hadn't done one for about 50 landings, and b) everything was going so nicely.

Hi there Jim,

That's exactly it, hot and high at 4500ft asl. and a light 4kts on the nose. The way I found around it was to fly her at 3ft (and keep her there) for as long as possible and she will land herself. That speed has to bleed off somewhere and she will touchdown. Initially I was a little worried as the runway I fly out of is 2500ft, but have it nailed now.

Regards

Bruce (170hrs. @ complacency time and very aware )

It's gotten warm and gusty and I'm busy trying to brush up on summer landings. The hop-up right after the roundout is the real pain.

Yes Jim, I see just what you're doing. In my opinion you have to round and hold off at 3ft with a slight back pressure on the stick. Don't be in a hurry to touchdown.. I think you're too active on the back pressure after the round out.
I have to tell you, I know the x-wind max component for the Ct is 15kts and a couple of weeks ago was down near the Southern most tip of Africa and had to land due to weather and fuel. The wind was 35 gusting 40kts,90 deg.cross, 146ft alt., runway 28 3000ft (FAVreden) Vrenendal -- Private and unmanned. Gotta tell ya, I was nipping straws, got the approach right and applied everything I was trained to do (alerons full in) did the 3ft thing , and put her down ASAP, went just like a normal landing. The next day we had a window at 2pm (with the same conditions) having gained Info from Cape Town Info. Met. and turned back 10min. later, due to another front, landed back with an even better landing (left hand dripping with sweat) full sitck to the right-3ft--hold a bit and the progressive slow back pressure--not forgetting the footwork, and "oh boy" it worked. Did'nt even have to backtrack, exited off the runway and dried that left hand. (3ft at 60kts 15 flaps) 55 still the magic number.
Hope you get it nailed Jim
Regards
Bruce

"The wind was 35 gusting 40kts,90 deg.cross, 146ft alt., runway 28 3000ft (FAVreden) Vrenendal"

Hmm,

any other fisherman's stories out there?

Cheers,

J

Warm and calm conditions yield thermals that can come through without much notice and add a surprising amount of lift or surface wind. These will spoil your flare. Sounds like good technique on your part - add power and go around or try the flare again.

Doug

I'm with you Josi, if I encountered a crosswind like that I would choose to land across that runway. I have taken off across a grass strip that was 125 ft wide. The airspeed indicator was reading 21 knts and gusting to 28 knts while I was sitting still pointing across the runway. I was alone and lite on fuel, rolled about 50 ft and was off. There is no way to hold these birds in a 35 knt 90 degree crosswind. I post this so nobody trys it and gets hurt. Think about it we stall dirty at 36 knts. I'm not sure what that has to do with crosswind component, but it sure puts things into perspective.

I endorse what you say Fred,
We were on a 3hr flite to the west coast and the wind had picked up above what we had expected. That was the wind given to us (NW 35-40) when we decended from flight level for Vredendal. Maybe that was not the wind on the "ground" on 28 !! There was no alternative but to land as the other plane, a KR2 was low on fuel and landed before me. If we had used the other runway we would have been in the exact opposite configuration and shorter. If interested Google it S 31 41 01 E018 29 19 and see what predicament we were in.
Certainly not a brag. Not proud of it but was just sharing the experience.

Is'nt the max. x wind component for landing a CT 15kts as per the manual?

Cheers