Scruffmeister Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 Hi All, I realise this is an extremely subjective question depending on a number of other factors, not least ability, but "how strong does the wind have to be before you decide not to fly?". Personally I've flown a trainer in 20mph+ winds and didn't much enjoy the experience. What I'd really like to know is not the maximum you'd actually could fly in, but more the point that the scales tip from "an enjoyable flight" to "a bit scary"! Looking forward to some varied answers, I'm sure... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ernie Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 15 MPH ernie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete B Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 When birds walk???............ Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Harris - Moderator Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 Depends what's upwind - turbulence is the main problem and making forward progress is the only real limiting factor without it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil May Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 If I take the Stik out, then 20mph is fun, but if I take the Renegade out then 10 - 15 mph. Depends if the wind is across the strip as well B.P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fly boy3 Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 I hate landings in high winds and more so if they are cross winds. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bravedan Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 Slope Soarer here......we don't get 40mph plus often enough. Indoor Flyer here........will someone PLEASE shut that damn door!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Cantwell Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 its not the flying, its the landing, strange hobby, if its too high for power flying, we go gliding, go figure it !!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 Its also a question of "consistancy". A steady 25mph wing straight down the strip is no real problem, whereas a 15mph that is really turbulent and gusty - coming and going and changing direction, swirling around - can be a right handful. BEB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Braddock, VC Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 THe gauge I was told way back when was if you put your plane on the ground facng the wind and it stayed there then it wasn't TOO windy. If it was blown back then it was too windy There are some that enjoy lying in the wind, I still conciously open the throttle downwind as I once lost an acrowot by reducing the throttle.Edited By John Gibbs on 05/03/2011 19:52:04 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bravedan Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 Posted by Alan C on 05/03/2011 19:46:15:its not the flying, its the landing, strange hobby, if its too high for power flying, we go gliding, go figure it !!!! Unless we have a glider with a motor............................... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 Posted by John Gibbs on 05/03/2011 19:51:07: There are some that enjoy lying in the wind, Yes, well it takes all types I always say BEB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Wright 2 Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 If your flying into wind at full power ,and going backwards its to windy . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin watson Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 buy a foamy wing slipsteam or zaggi with upgraded motor then it really doesn't matter i've flown some real howlers at the field. though if the wind is in the right direction we head for the slopes above 20mph normally.Edited By colin watson on 05/03/2011 22:37:48 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanN Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 Posted by Scruffmeister on 05/03/2011 18:58:29: Hi All, I realise this is an extremely subjective question depending on a number of other factors, not least ability, but "how strong does the wind have to be before you decide not to fly?". Personally I've flown a trainer in 20mph+ winds and didn't much enjoy the experience. What I'd really like to know is not the maximum you'd actually could fly in, but more the point that the scales tip from "an enjoyable flight" to "a bit scary"! Looking forward to some varied answers, I'm sure... "A bit scary" is very gusty, and variable direction I'm not sure a mph figure is of much use. I take my cues from visuals. On those occasions when I've flown and then thougt "hmmm, that was a bit windy for enjoyment" I've gone home and then taken a few minutes to watch how the trees in the vicinity of our house were being blown about. The result of doing that habitually is that I can look out of the window and make a judgement re whether its flyable or not. To test that I then went to the field a few times when my view was that it would be borderline at best, and I was nearly always right. Worked for me. Others will have different methods Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted March 6, 2011 Share Posted March 6, 2011 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve W-O Posted March 6, 2011 Share Posted March 6, 2011 I liked the method used at a yacht club in Durban. A member would go out onto the patio at the club house and light a match. If it blew out, there was too much wind to sail. If it didn't blow out there was not enough wind to sail. If you couldn't sail, the only thing to do was to wait in the bar until the wind was suitable for sailing. Similar standards could be applied to model flying. For more practical testing, I agree with the one that if the model can't sit still on the ground, too windy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ernie Posted March 6, 2011 Share Posted March 6, 2011 Hi Guys, anyone use the beaufort wind scale? ernie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve W-O Posted March 6, 2011 Share Posted March 6, 2011 Posted by Ernie on 06/03/2011 09:19:22:Hi Guys, anyone use the beaufort wind scale? ernie But what happens if you are not flying a Beaufort? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Cooper Posted March 6, 2011 Share Posted March 6, 2011 It really depends on the model, the turbulence, and how confident the pilot is. My personal best was flying an own design model (aptly called a Screamer) during the 1987 hurricane. The worst of the hurricane had passed, but the wind was reportedly still blowing at around 70 mph, and a friend(?) of mine betted me £5 that I would not fly in it. Hey-ho --- I won. The speed of the downwind passes were spectacular to say the least. And the model survived. There must be easier ways of making a fiver.... B.C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Privett Posted March 6, 2011 Share Posted March 6, 2011 Posted by Brian Cooper on 06/03/2011 09:33:11:The speed of the downwind passes were spectacular to say the least. But did you manage the upwind pass on a single tank of fuel Brian? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig Spence Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 I joined my model club in the winter and had no choice whether to fly or not. Reason being is I work a two week on two week off rotation, i needed as much time on the sticks as i could get in to pass my A test. Anyhow I learnt in very high winds and I belive that it made me a better flyer, 3 years now and I have only crashed one plane (touch wood) and that was down to radio failure. Of course I have had bumps when learning. I have never called off a flying session due to high winds, if I felt I was no longer in control then I would for the safety of others. However I wouldent fly a scale plane in very high winds because I just havent got the money to replace one if something went wrong. I really enjoy the challenge, there really is nothing more satisfying to me than going for it and coming out good. Landing without moveing forward (but nearly going backwards lol!) just floating down vertically twitching like a maddan is always a favorite of mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Adams Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 I learnt to fly on the slope, so never saw the wind as a problem, only lack of it. Now I fly powered, I still enjoy flying in windy conditions and often find I have the strip to myself. All I do is dial a couple of clicks of down trim to increase the model speed and enjoy. The only problem I find is the optical affect of landing my panic backwards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan Bennett Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 I always take my brushless Twinstar II out when it's too windy to fly my other models. A couple of weeks ago was the only time I was unable to fly it due to the wind -- it got blown away whilst sitting in the pits while I was chatting, and broke the elevator clean off when it hit the ground tail-first, and stripped the servo gears at the same time. From the looks of the trees, I'm guessing the wind was "strong breeze" on the Beaufort scale.Edited By Allan Bennett on 10/03/2011 11:05:46 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r6dan Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 Its too windy now!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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