Interesting STOL performances in strong winds.

Healthy Bastards Bush Pilot Competition.

Omaka, New Zealand.

Videos:

Wind friend. Rudder friend. Throttle friend. Aileron not friend.

Good videos.

Curious if anyone would venture to guess what those headwinds were ?

20 + ??

I imagine if it had been any stronger, these guys could have been landing backwards.

In really strong winds, neither the airspeed indicator nor the buoyant kinetic feel of the airplane mean much. Both are plenty high or adequate. The difference between apparent brisk walk rate of closure and apparent slow walk rate of closure isn't much. We simply want some apparent rate of closure. I came to a stop in a Champ once just as I was touching down. Wasn't trying too; just happened.

No! Three point is not best in strong winds.

Denali wrote:Curious if anyone would venture to guess what those headwinds were ?

20 + ??

The very beginning of the first video you posted said 20 gutting to 30.

robw56 wrote:

Denali wrote:Curious if anyone would venture to guess what those headwinds were ?

20 + ??

The very beginning of the first video you posted said 20 gutting to 30.

The day started at 20G30. When we called it off for safety reasons, it was 20G45 (knots) from about 220V270. The Super Cubs were struggling to stay on the ground, even with wing walkers.

I'm guessing it was called off after this happened?

Ouch


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More right rudder.

robw56 wrote:I'm guessing it was called off after this happened?

The event carried on aftewards - that was earlier in the day while winds were still "relatively" manageable. Those LSA aircraft are a handful in any meaningful wind, you can see him working overtime on the approach.

He had one gear leg splay out + brakes locked on + an unfortunate gust of wind all at once. The pilot has something like 50,000hrs, has flown every prop plane type in the US Navy, and every commercial jet Boeing has made. Very unfortunate for him and his beautiful example of a Zenith, there was nothing he could do once it started over. I was impressed by how calm he remained throughout.

That's me on the commentator's truck, waiting for the right moment to grab it. There was a lot of fuel spilling down the wing at first, and it looked like it might have blown into the truck's cab or hiab for a moment.

The plane suffered no major structural / engine / prop damage. It was a carbon prop too. It flew away later after a lengthy inspection. It looks like the prop hits the dirt, but I looked very closely at the prop and it was spotless. I think it's just blowing dust and dead grass. He had shut it down at that moment.

WOW I feel like such a pussy. Beautiful day here, 60 degrees and only 38G51 in Casper. Afraid I'll never be that good. Fun to see folks that are.

Heard a story years ago about a Pilatus demo pilot showing his a/c at Merrill Field in Anchorage. Story goes a take off from the numbers with 20 kt head wind. Climbed to a 1000 feet and landed on the same numbers. I didn't see it but know people who said they did. Don't think I would want to be a pax on that one