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Author Topic: Winter Winds...  (Read 4937 times)

donv

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Winter Winds...
« on: November 02, 2017, 12:22:40 am »
I had to drop someone off in western Montana this afternoon. The trip over was fantastic-- 110 knot tailwind! I was doing almost 400 knots over the ground, at FL270.

Of course, when we got there it was snowing, half mile visibility, and generally pretty nasty...

But on the way home... 111 knots on the nose! I watched the winds as I climbed (and on the descent going in), and they really didn't drop off much until you got into the lower teens, and with the weather as it was, I decided if I was going to go slow, I might as well be comfortable and save some gas, so FL260 it was.

It took me about 1+35 to go eastbound, and 2+45 to go home!


Steve binnette

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Re: Winter Winds...
« Reply #1 on: November 02, 2017, 03:35:44 pm »
Winds like that are why we spend more time flying into a headwind than we do flying with a tailwind.

It's great to have the extra fuel capacity so you can ride it out and not make another stop when the legs get longer.

donv

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Re: Winter Winds...
« Reply #2 on: November 02, 2017, 03:58:58 pm »
Absolutely. In fact, I did the same round trip on Monday, with more typical winds, and yesterday it took me 30 minutes more in total flight time.

Steve binnette

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Re: Winter Winds...
« Reply #3 on: November 02, 2017, 08:32:34 pm »
What a sloppy mess,it's good to have reverse in conditions like that. 

I would Hate to be in a light jet with just brakes on that day.