This is a great, albeit long, article about wind shear, turbulence and a Bearhawk:

https://www.avweb.com/features/mr-bearhawks-wild-ride/

A few thought came to my mind:

- I'm somewhat casual about securing things in the cabin, and should do it.
- It's not a weather scenario that we think about enough, or plan for
- Especially near mountains
- Another pilot might not have recovered
- The Bearhawk is a pretty tough airplane

I enjoyed the article as it hit close to home.

https://backcountrypilot.org/forum/my-l ... ence-23928

I didn’t note what my G meter recorded but it was bad enough that was concerned about structural damage and I thoroughly inspected the airplane befit I flew it again.

I guess it should be comforting to know that two experienced test pilots make the same mistakes that the rest of us "humans" often make.

But, it's hard for me to believe that those guys living and flying in that country regularly got themselves in this situation.

I look at winds aloft before EVERY flight. I've had the living crap beat out of me (flew on Kodiak for 8 years), so I guess my tolerance of "average" turbulence may be high, but I really don't like mountain waves.

I also found the two pilots responses interesting: Both trying to fly the airplane, the right seater pulling the mixture, then the prop, instead of the throttle, etc.

I did my instrument check ride out of Santa Monica, and the examiner told me to go to Van Nuys for approaches. Santa Ana winds were blowing. A uniquely nasty experience. Examiner called it good after two approaches and he getting slammed into the headliner.....really hard. I figured just keeping the thing right side up was good enough to pass. Apparently, he thought so too.

MTV

God is bigger than man.

Are Bearhawks somehow more susceptible to extreme wind events or what? I immediately thought of Whee’s story upon reading the Mr. Bearhawk’s wild ride a few weeks ago.

I keep those tales close to me wherever I fly where wind and mountains mix. Often the norm here on the lee of the Sierra. Mountain wave and associated rotor don’t always advertise their presence with lenticular and ragged swirling clouds.

On non-wave days we can get inversions where it will be calm and smooth until you get 3000 agl then hit a 50 knot west wind and get the crap kicked out of you in the transition zone. A look at winds aloft during your preflight planning will give you a heads up on it.

The lighter the airplane, the rougher the ride. Wing or rotors bending also help, if they are designed to do that.