how much wind is too much

[scott matthews]

Hello everyone,my question is at what wind speed and gust do you draw the line on not to fly? I currently have a ringmaster with a 35 on it and I am rounding 3rd on a galaxy with a os 25 and a ares with a os 40 on it.I feel there is not many good days to fly that have dead air,so I'm looking for some kind of guide of when its pretty safe.Thanks Scott

[wwwarbird]

 You'll probably get a lot of different opinions and thoughts on this, and it does definitely vary with experience. As mostly a sport and "light" stunt flier I personally feel that about 3 to 8 mph is ideal, with it starting to not be fun over 10 to 12 mph. 13 to 15 mph or better and usually the bench flying begins for me.

 As your abilities progress it is good to push yourself here and there and fly in some wind, especially if you plan to ever grow into competition flying. You can more often than not count on less than ideal conditions on Contest Day. I've seen guys fly and compete in 20-25 mph winds many times. I'll spectate on those days. Under those conditions it can get to be a lot like watching NASCAR, it's not if, but when.

[Wynn Robins]

You'll probably get a lot of different opinions and thoughts on this, and it does definitely vary with experience. As mostly a sport and "light" stunt flier I personally feel that about 3 to 8 mph is ideal, with it starting to not be fun over 10 to 12 mph. 13 to 15 mph or better and usually the bench flying begins for me.

 As your abilities progress it is good to push yourself here and there and fly in some wind, especially if you plan to ever grow into competition flying. You can more often than not count on less than ideal conditions on Contest Day. I've seen guys fly and compete in 20-25 mph winds many times. I'll spectate on those days. Under those conditions it can get to be a lot like watching NASCAR, it's not if, but when.

yeah but 10-25 from a constant direction is not TOO bad - at least you know where the wind is - it is when you have changing wind directions that makes it interesting ......some flights I have had recently have had 180 degree shifts - which makes it a clencher!!!

[Steve Helmick]

I'm with Wayne on this. But more detail might be useful. If it's truly dead calm, doing stunts is very dangerous to your plane. Wake turbulence is a common cause for the demise of good planes.  Eventually, you will encounter wake turbulence, and you will be lucky (and good!) if the first encounter doesn't cost you a plane. The typical analogy is "like flying into a vacuum". You're totally helpless, it's very sudden, and your plane has little chance. Not good. You will learn to take a step back during consecutive loops,  giving the plane smooth air to fly in. Of course, you will also have to learn to scoot back into the pilot's circle once the model is back to level flight.

That 10-12 mph breeze doesn't sound like a lot, but wind speed is very commonly overestimated. For FF, CL, or R/C models, 12 mph is a significant challenge. However, what is up wind from the circle is a major factor. If there is a building or a parking lot full of buses, it will be ugly, and many models will be damaged or returned to the car, unflown. A carrot patch would be ok...an apple orchard would not. Even one tree or a thicket of blackberries will cause significant turbulence with relatively low wind speed. Again, you will encounter places like this, and you'll learn to predict the effects. Hopefully, you'll also be wise enough to put the plane away at the right time.   Steve

[john e. holliday]

You have received some very good advice already.  Myself I do not like to fly in calm conditions.   I like a little breeze so I can feel it.   Really the pull on the handle will tell you a lot.   The one time I flew a contest in Fargo NORTH DAKOTA I was doing the maneuvers with the wind in my face.  There were lots of trees.  Anyway that was where I was getting the most pull on the handle.   That is where practice comes in.   

[Jim Kraft]

We had dead calm in Kansas once. I think it was 1946. I have flown in winds up to 25 mph, and I did not like it much. I tend to leave out vertical and overhead maneuvers when the wind is up, unless I am at a contest, and then I go for it. Most have learned a few tricks when the wind is up to keep the plane flying. May not be pretty, but it saves planes. In vertical maneuvers, you just have to fly behind normal as the wind will blow you down. At the end of the clover, I fly to the top of the circle and then start pulling out. Timing gets to be a problem also as the plane will accelerate in the wind. We have a lot of gusty winds and it can be 15 one minute, and 25 the next. Keeps you on your toes.

[Randy Powell]

Sort of depends on the turbulence. If it's clean, then I can get away with up to about 20mph and still put in a decent (not great) pattern. When it gets more than that I go into survival mode and can fly, but it's no fun.

[wwwarbird]

We had dead calm in Kansas once. I think it was 1946.

 

[M Spencer]

Depends wether or not you wear a hat . 

[Posthole_digger]

Are any of the above wind estimates based on anemometer readings? I brought my anemometer to the field and most folks think the wind is much stronger than actually measured, often by a factor of two. Only one fellow that was a sailor was even close.

Paul

[PJ Rowland]

Another good indicator is when your model moves whilst sitting on the ground..

It depends on exactly what your question is relating to - smaller models of the size you describe will not be great in 15 - 20 + winds - 25 + is silly...

But it might be a good idea to practice in strong winds from time to time - You never know when a time machine will present itself and you find your up in Round 1 in muncie 2004..... 

[John Stiles]

Involuntary wingovers would be a good indicator.

[Bill Little]

For someone starting out, try to keep the wind under an actual 10 mph.  If it's steady then that should be ok to fly if the plane is in decent trim.  "Pattern flying" is horrible in truly "dead air" since wake can re-kit a model as quick (or quicker) than anything else!   We have long leaf pines here (only a few places on Earth have them, I understand) and they are tall (50'-60' and up) and fairly skinny.  You can pretty well tell how bad the wind is from watching the tops of them.  Unpredictable gusts, and objects causing turbulence, are the killers in less than gale conditions.   OF course there can always be the "micro bursts" in hot weather that will drop a model into the ground at the bottom of a loop.

As has been said, a lot depends on experience, the model, and just what "type" of flying you want to do.  AS *little* flying time as I get, it has to be really bad to stop me from going out.

Big Bear

[Randy Powell]

There's a 20mph wind sock where we fly. Pretty easy to estimate based on that. At least up to 20mph. When the thing is standing straight out and snapping, I put the plane away.

[jim gilmore]

I have not flown in a long time...Though the two places I have flown are dominated buy very typical wind patterns...
Flushing meadow park. Usually windy most of the day with the exception of early evening when the wind dies down for a bit.
The other is the antelope valley in Ca. Usually windy all day till it calms down just before night...
But I'd prefer to never fly with no wind at all. Because if it come up suddenly it may be in the wrong place while I'm doing something.

[Jim Kraft]

We use a log chain in Kansas for a wind sock. If its blowing straight out, it's ok to fly. If its snaping links off, we pack up and go home. It was like that one day, and I packed up and went home. Turned on the weather report, and they said it was so windy that it started all the airplanes out at the airport. Remember what Wings Whiplash said; " There is no such thing as gravity, the earth sucks" Thats my story, and I'm sticking to it.

[scott matthews]

I obviously need to raise the bar and quit waitting till its 3-5 mph .

[Eric Viglione]

Depends on which direction the wind is blowing at our field... from across or diagonal to the RC runway up to 20mph is reasonably safe (over 15 and it starts to roll back off the trees back into the circle, in your flight path and create some really bumpy air),  from the club house, up to 17mph seems about right, but from over the moss covered watering oaks at the southeast edge of the circle, anything over 10mph can be deadly. Dead calm can be an issue at our field as well, as we are tightly rope fenced in, meaning if you back peddle, you better get back to the center pad quick or you'll hit a fence post.

Bottom line, every field has it's own quirks, as does every plane, and every pilot. You should evaluate your own situation, have a plan in place, and stick to it.
Usually most accidents occur when we go against our own better judgement. (don't ask how I know!  )

EricV

[Larry Cunningham]

I seem to remember the regs saying that a contest flies up to 35 MPH, which is indeed a stiff breeze!
Correct me if I'm wrong, my rule book is not in reach. Most people seem to over estimate wind velocity.

L.

"Providence protects children and idiots. I know because I have tested it." -Mark Twain

[Bryan Higgins]

Scott

I fly on the side of a mountain range.  Front Range Mountains in Arvada,Colorado .  And Wind Speed is the first thing we check out
before we even head out there.  This is a very good question you have asked .  It is something every flyer should check on when
deciding to fly a plane.
This could go on forever but i'll keep it short.  Most wind speed 15 mph and lower is ok for your Ringmaster 35.  But be very
carefull around 14/15 mph.

Anything above 15 mph.  And to 20 mph you have a couple of options.  Don't fly........... or build a bigger bird for flying in wind.

My flying buddy has a 70 oz. Kiros he takes out on windy days if the wind gets to bad for his lighter planes.  So this is great news
in defferent ways.  It's a way to tell your wife you need another plane.  Or if you build a plane that is to heavy save it for windy days.
There are some control line planes that fly really well in wind you just have to ask some of the guys around here and they will
recommend a few.  I am no pro so i don't know many off hand but i heard the Fancy Pants , P-47D by Charels Parrot, Charisma by
Tom Dixon and the SV Series by Randy Smith all fly really well in windy conditions.  Hope this helps  Bryan H.

[Steve Helmick]

Might be worth mentioning that you can purchase a windspeed meter for not too much dinero. I have this one, which works on the Bernouli Principle with a bead in a tube. You change scales by putting your finger over one vent. To see the windspeed, you watch the bead levitate. No batteries! The price has just about doubled since I bought mine. There are also electronic meters that do windspeed, temp, density altitude, etc. More useful, but it costs more and does use batteries, which will probably be TU when you remember you have it, and decide to use it. Steve

http://www.gemplers.com/product/R150/Portable-Hand-held-Wind-Meter?sku=R150&srccode=cii_10043468&cpncode=21-104695800-2

This one will tell you the density altitude and when you last checked your shoelaces...

http://www.gemplers.com/product/138692/Kestrel-4500-Pocket-Weather-Tracker

[scott matthews]

Thanks everyone for the info. Checked the weather today and it said wind speed at 6-7 mph and gust to 8 mph. Looked relatively calm here at the house so I grabbed my gear and left. When I got to the field it was defiantly windier than home.Normally I would bail but I figured that if everyone else can do it what the heck. Was very surprised to find that my 20 year old ringmaster had great line tension and handled the gust just fine.I did not do anything more than wing overs just to get the feel.I also realized that having a consistant wind direction made for no surprises if you were going to do any stunts. Only mishap I encountered was landing, when the planes wheels touched the grass it flipped over and broke of the rudder ( not the first time I've had to glue this back on). Thanks everyone for the advise it has pushed my comfort zone in a new direction.
Scott

[john e. holliday]

Next time you fly and the rudder pops off, try flying anyway.  It may surprise you.   

[scott matthews]

I should try that some time.I do know if I put a 10-6 prop on this os 40 ringmaster running under muffler pressure it will cork screw you into the ground.

[De Hill]

When Joe Gilbert won't fly, it is too windy.

This is no joke.

[Jim Kraft]

Thats not a very good gauge De. Most of us quit long before Joe. I have seen him fly in almost gale type winds and do a good job flying the pattern.

[Garf]

I usually use 15MPH as a limit, but I have decided that if I wait for "good" air in Miami, I'm not going to get much flight time. Put an OS LA46 on that ringmaster and go for it. Good training for combat flying.

[Jim Thomerson]

We have a calibrated wind sock which sticks out level at 15 MPH.  I now fly happily in winds which I had previously thought were too much.  Anything under 15MPH is flyable, I think. 

[john e. holliday]

Thats not a very good gauge De. Most of us quit long before Joe. I have seen him fly in almost gale type winds and do a good job flying the pattern.

So true.  I remember the first time I met Joe and seen him fly.  I think it was his first VSC.  Last day of Classic the wind was up.  In fact it was up so  much I scratched my flight.   Watched several beautiful planes go in.   Then Joe flies.   Made it look easy.  I asked him why he flew in such wind.   His statement,  "So I can be in the top 20".   He has went on from there.  Look at this year at VSC.  Firsts in Old Time Ignition and the Old Time Event with the one airplane.   

[phil c]

Hello everyone,my question is at what wind speed and gust do you draw the line on not to fly? I currently have a ringmaster with a 35 on it and I am rounding 3rd on a galaxy with a os 25 and a ares with a os 40 on it.I feel there is not many good days to fly that have dead air,so I'm looking for some kind of guide of when its pretty safe.Thanks Scott

Generally, if the wind speed is more than 1/3 of the flight speed you will find yourself in very tough conditions.  Since most stunters fly between 52 and 55 mph and wind over 15 mph will be able to cause serious problems.  Extra light planes and longer lines make for more problems. For sport flying the limits are much wider.  Just keep the maneuvers downwind and limit consecutive maneuvers.  You can run out of elevator doing consecutive loops. The wind adds a lot of horsepower, so you have to back off on the elevator at the top and pull more up at the bottom.  After a few loops there is no more elevator left to pull out.  Either the plane sheds a wing due to speeding up too much or it pancakes into the ground.