25kts Landing

[Kregster]

Pattern Work with winds 030@25G30.. Runway is 1R at KSNA. The plane is an Evektor Sportstar... Handled very well, even in those conditions. Special thanks to my instructor for giving me the hands on experience. Enjoy..

http://youtu.be/RwXL9QY_FZo

[drseti]

Very good video, and excellent instructor. A few thoughts:

Since you were landing rwy 1, and wind was from 030, you only had a slight (20 degree) x-wind component. Otherwise, this would have been much trickier.

Evektor recently issued a Service Bulletin raising the demonstrated x-wind component for the SportStar to 18 kts. Even in those 30 kt gusts, you were well within the plane's limits.

The wake turbulence warning was interesting, given that those winds would have made the wake dissipate very quickly.

I agree with your CFI that airspeed control is paramount.

Nice flare, given the conditions!

[CTLSi]

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[Kregster]

Thanks for the comments. Crosswind component on this one was definitely 10kts or so.. We did about three or four that day and they ranged from 050@25 to 040@30... Really happy to have had the experience, although I was a bit nervous (obviously). Most interesting for me was at the turn from Base to Final. Adam comments on our airspeed.. They plane literally slowed to a crawl!

[SportPilot]

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[CharlieTango]

I thought you were extremely busy with the throttle. I like to keep it simple, I just close mine abeam the numbers and trim for my approach speed.

[Kregster]

The throttle definitely requires some getting used to. What appears to be small adjustments are actually fairly significant changes. I often will slide the throttle in and out for larger changes in RPM but typically not for 5 or 10 knot adjustments. It simply doesn't feel as controlled. Definitely personal opinion.

[SportPilot]

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[FastEddieB]

Excellent job.

Your instructor stole "Don't let it land!" from my playbook!

I agree there was a LOT of playing with the throttle, as others have pointed out. I generally find students, and myself, do best with power at idle by at least 50' or so, if not well before.

And was the angled final what you generally do on those parallel runways? I found it odd and would generally try to fly final on the extended centerline.

But in any case it was a great landing, and you're obviously on the right track.

[drseti]

I can't speak for his CFI, but I instruct in the same plane, and I do have my students use the vernier. All you want in those conditions is small power changes. You're busy, but otherwise, you end up over-controlling.

[drseti]

I generally find students, and myself, do best with power at idle by at least 50' or so, if not well before.

Although that's generally my preference as well, in tricky winds you often have to carry power, and fiddle with the throttle on final. As someone once said, "whatever it takes!"

[FastEddieB]

As someone once said, "whatever it takes!"

Whoever that was is an idiot.

[CTLSi]

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[Kregster]

Thanks for the comments.. My use of the vernier was/is both taught and typical. With those winds, carry extra throttle and speed was required over the text book landing. This video was taken before I received my certificate and have since flown in similar conditions alone. Glad to have had the training.

[BrianL99]

Pattern Work with winds 030@25G30.. Runway is 1R at KSNA. The plane is an Evektor Sportstar... Handled very well, even in those conditions. Special thanks to my instructor for giving me the hands on experience. Enjoy..

http://youtu.be/RwXL9QY_FZo

I was always taught that a stabilized approach was the proper way to land. All that playing with the throttle seems unnecessary and counter productive. Just my opinion, but tI don't think there should be more than 2 throttle adjustments ... one abeam the numbers and one more when you're on short final. Any other adjustments are a result of not being properly stabilized, with a constant and appropriate descent rate and speed.

Unless the camera angle was deceptive, you had virtually no crosswind. The airplane was headed directly down the runway centerline, with no crab or slip ... no significant cross wind.