"Andrew Gideon" wrote
A few weeks ago, I landed with a tailwind. I was astonished at the runway
this used up. Today, I'd a stiff headwind on landing. I felt like a
helicopter.

Hmm, this brings back a memory from Waukesha, WI back in August. I was a
bit harried since I'd just lifted off from Milwaukee and went WAY to high
for the short trip to UES. (I was new to the area and didn't want to pay
the high fuel prices at Signature so elected to hop a fuel miles to a
smaller airport.)

There was a lot of traffic and the UES controller wanted me to come straight
in - now, please. I wasn't aware of a tailwind but it must have been there.
The airspeed indicator showed less than 50 knots at touchdown but I thought
for sure there was a bee stuck in the pitot tube. The ground was going by
at an alarming rate and the tires let out a serious yelp when they met the
pavement.

Whaddya do? If I was a bit more aware of my ground speed, I suppose I could
have requested another runway....

Anyway, thanks for the story. Looking forward to my first encounters with
IMC!

-Scott