Best Storm Stories

On Thursday, February 26, 2015 at 4:58:46 PM UTC-5, Tom (2NO) wrote:
Best storm story:
The forecast was terrible and when I got to the gliderport it really looked bad so I went home.

you're awesome.

This is not a storm story :-)

Once at my home airfield (Hammer) in Denmark we had a very strong increase in the wind at about 150 meters - 500 feet. We still had an old Ka-8B and a Bergfalke (still flying) back then, so we figured out that when we took a winch launch, it was possible to fly so slowly that we went backwards. So we managed to fly a whole flight without turning. A winch launch, slow down, fly backwards until you were behind the airfield and then speed up and go down to land.

The funny thing was that when you were standing at the start point at the airfield, there were not much wind. So we stood there in almost calm and looked up at our Bergfalke and Ka-8B flying backward over our heads. Very strange view.

Best regards Mads, Denmark.

I had a windshear close encounter. As I taxied a Cessna 340 (big twin) out to the active at North Las Vegas, ATIS made slight mention of possible windshear. When I departed, I pulled the gear up early and stayed in ground effect as long as I could to build speed. pulled up and immediately lost 30 knots! If I had not paid attention to just a mention of possible windshear nor had I formulated a plan before hand I could have been in deep trouble. My home glider port in Southern Cal is known have a wind gradient due to trees on the approach end, I always come in with 10 knots more airspeed and bleed it off after the trees. Plan ahead, think ahead and stay safe.


On Thursday, March 12, 2015 at 12:32:56 PM UTC-7, Mads wrote:
This is not a storm story :-)

Once at my home airfield (Hammer) in Denmark we had a very strong increase in the wind at about 150 meters - 500 feet. We still had an old Ka-8B and a Bergfalke (still flying) back then, so we figured out that when we took a winch launch, it was possible to fly so slowly that we went backwards. So we managed to fly a whole flight without turning. A winch launch, slow down, fly backwards until you were behind the airfield and then speed up and go down to land.

The funny thing was that when you were standing at the start point at the airfield, there were not much wind. So we stood there in almost calm and looked up at our Bergfalke and Ka-8B flying backward over our heads. Very strange view.

Best regards Mads, Denmark.