How much wind is too much wind

7 Answers

1. 
   

   
   

   Jason Schappert on Nov 07, 2010

   All comes down to crosswind component.
    
   Other things I think about do I have VIPs on board? family, wife, etc…
    
   Never one to push it especially in the ole 150 i’ve got to teach my students by example.
    
   Jason

   0 Votes 7 Votes  7 Votes

2. 
   

   
   

   Brian on Nov 07, 2010

   My limits are as follows:
   152 (or other smaller 2 seaters): 20G30 crosswind or not
   172: 25G35 again xwind or not.
   Then again I did all my training out of new england and even here in jersey the winds in the fall/winter months are often in the teens with gusts in the 20s. I would say it largely depends on what the pilot is used to flying in with the rest on experience. That said, as a private pilot I favored days in the low teens with gusts in the upper teens. Beyond that I would seek out an instructor.

   0 Votes 2 Votes  2 Votes

3. 
   

   
   

   Kent Shook on Nov 08, 2010

   With the wind right down the runway, as you’ve stated in the question – I don’t have much of a limit there. I’ve landed in a direct crosswind gusting over 30 knots and still had control authority, so in that plane I’m OK with that.

   With the wind right down the runway, all that really changes for the landing itself is your ground speed. However, a wind speed that’s near to or higher than the stall speed of your aircraft is going to make taxiing awfully difficult!

   Of course, this is all pretty much moot. Murphy was a pilot – and the winds are NEVER straight down the runway.

   In reality, this is a question you need to answer yourself, based on your current skills and comfort level. As you alluded to in the question, each pilot has a different skill level for wind, so each pilot will be different.

   +4 Votes 7 Votes  3 Votes

4. 
   

   
   

   Wesley Beard on Nov 09, 2010

   This is something to discuss with your CFI.  I always sit down as my students get close to the checkride and establish personal minimums for them.  Typically if Southern Arizona, we will establish a 10kt crosswind and 20knot total wind to start.  In a couple months of active flying, we can revisit those numbers.
   I personally try to stay under the max demonstrated crosswind however I understand that if I can fly straight and track the centerline of the runway I can land with the current wind.  As soon as I use all the available rudder it is time to find a different runway to land on.

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5. 
   

   
   

   Trevor Smith on Nov 13, 2010

   I would say it’s somthing you need to DO with your CFI. I’ve seen too many CFI wip out in 30kts of wind right down the runway. You need to do it and you’ll learn how much wind is too much for you.

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6. 
   

   
   

   Danny D. Creech on Nov 16, 2010

   Always use your best judgment.
   I will start my answer is that begins not with the plane but with the pilot.
   As a former Airline Captain there were several times I flew with First Officers who could not land the jet with more than 20kts of X-wind. At my experience level, I was confortable up to about 30 kts and as I got close to the runway, I always was thinking about the go around procedures. That way if things got a little uncomfortable for me I would already be mentally prepared. As pilots we should always be ready for a go around but as an Airline Pilot flying a jet there is a LOT of “Call Outs” and things to do. So having already thought about them before it happens is always a good practice. FYI go arounds at airlines are very rare. Basically as for the pilot goes, it is a matter of what you are confortable in doing.
   Okay, so let’s say you are Mr. Super Pilot and your skills are sharp. Now let’s talk about the limits of the aircraft. First off most manufactures publish a “Demonstrated” maximum crosswind component. This in no way means it is the maximum crosswind component of that aircraft. So what is the maximum crosswind component for your Piper Archer III? That would require Mr. Super Pilot to fly the aircraft fairly empty and then at MGW with a direct cross wind and keep doing it until he is unable to keep the aircraft tracking the ground in a straight line. The numbers will be different for a lightly loaded aircraft versus an aircraft at Max Gross Weight.  The heaver aircraft will be more stable. It is mostly a matter of the rudder. Sure you can bank the plane (side slip) at given speed but beyond a certain degree of bank you will not be able to keep the nose of the aircraft parallel to the runway.  If you are in a side slip and you have full rudder to keep the nose of the aircraft parallel with the runway and your ground track in a straight line can no longer be maintained, then you have found the aircraft’s maximum crosswind component. Honestly though, there are just so many factors it is hard to come up with a number. After all, it is rare for wind to blow at EXACTLY 30kts. Normally it is a variable speed (aka 30kts with gusts to 40kts).
   Now, I noticed you said “Straight down the runway”, well in that case we are not talking about a crosswind at all. Therefor there isn’t a “Component” of cross wind. So if the Archer cruses at 140kts, I would guess you could handle about 130kts down the runway to land. But I wouldn’t advise turning off the runway and putting the wind to your side. It would FLIP you for sure. Hahaha  So then it is a matter of not just landing but what kind of wind are you confortable taxing around in? The Archer being a low wing would do better than a C-172, but still I personally wouldn’t want to taxi with more than about 20kts blowing from any direction.
   Also, remember that cross winds are normally a component and not direct. So if you have a 15kts crosswind component which sounds fine, you may have 40kts blowing on the ground. That’s not good to taxi in.
   One final note about the pilot. We are human. Therefor if you haven’t flown in a long time, how are your cross wind skills? What about if it was a long night flight and you are tired? What if it was a rough IFR (Hard IMC) flight? There are a lot of “IF”s
   I am guessing you were looking for a HARD number for your aircraft. I am sorry I cannot give you one. I think after reading this you have a better understanding as to why I can personally give you a number. I have flow the Piper Archer III. I would not personally land that aircraft with 25kts crosswind.
   Danny

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7. 
   

   
   

   Golfpilot on Feb 17, 2013

   This is a really hard thing to answer because there isn’t a definite one. A lot of it has to do with your training. I know people, mostly coastal areas that are scared to fly in anything more than 10-15 knots total wind in their single engines. While I know people, like myself, who have spent hours crabbing down high desert crosswind runways and will fly in any wind as long as there is enough visibility to fly an approach. A lot of people don’t think about high winds low visibility when flying an approach. My suggestion to people who feel that there flying is confined to the wind speeds is to go up on a day where your airport had comfortable winds. Then fly somewhere with a crosswind component and a long runway then fly down it in ground effect over and over again. Get comfortable with it. For anybody wanting a real challenge fly to the high desert during the spring. Doesn’t get anymore exciting than that!

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