Amazing Wind Shear Today

We flew to Rantoul, IL today -- home of the Chanute Air Museum, on the site
of the former Chanute Air Force Base. The wind was predicted to be
howling -- winds aloft were calling for 54 knots at 6000 feet! -- but the
sun was shining, and we were enjoying our first Saturday off since last
Oshkosh. So off to Rantoul we went.

Our local AWOS was calling the wind 180 at 13, gusts to 21 -- strong, but
right down one of our three runways. Takeoff was a non-event, and the cool
temperatures meant we were soon climbing out at 1200+ fpm, even with 84
gallons and four aboard.

As we passed through 500 feet AGL, we experienced some moderate turbulence,
followed by some really "hinky" air -- you know, the kind that lifts first
one wing sharply, then the other? It's an almost uncontrolled feeling,
where you really just kind of keep things pointed in the right direction as
you climb through it.

Then, the most amazing thing happened. Our ground speed, which had been an
anemic 90 knots or so climbing out in a shallow "cruise climb", suddenly
accelerated sharply. Within seconds, we were doing 130 knots climbing on
the SAME HEADING that had given us a headwind just moments earlier!

Interestingly, the air instantly became silky-smooth, with hand's off flight
producing an absolutely rock-solid heading. As we leveled off at 5500
feet, our ground speed rapidly climbed through 170 knots, meaning that we
had a solid 30 knot tailwind, heading South. As we passed Muscatine, the
smoke from the power plant clearly showed a wind out of the South, yet at
5500 feet we were riding a strong tailwind from the North.

On the way home, Mary stayed down below 3000 feet, where the headwind (it
was no longer out of the South down low, dang it) was considerably less. We
still dragged home at 117 knots, meaning we were bucking a 25 knot headwind.
The one time ATC asked us to climb to 3500 for radar coverage, we instantly
lost 25 knots in ground speed!

Again, the air was smooth as glass, however. It's hard to envision an air
flow that could cause such severe wind shear, yet not also cause moderate to
severe turbulence.

Never seen anything quite like it.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:Njcyb.362928$Fm2.362681@attbi_s04...
We flew to Rantoul, IL today -- home of the Chanute Air Museum, on the
site
of the former Chanute Air Force Base. The wind was predicted to be
howling -- winds aloft were calling for 54 knots at 6000 feet! -- but the
sun was shining, and we were enjoying our first Saturday off since last
Oshkosh. So off to Rantoul we went.



I was raking leaves today and heard a plane overhead. It looked like it had
a 45 degree crab!

the wind had gone "laminar" and you live in the flat lands..

we had light and variable all day on the ground.. winds at 6000ft (first
altitude forecast) was 200/6 at 9000 they were 250/25 and stayed that way
all the way to FL300, there were wonder "stacked lennies" on local Mt
Charleston all day long.. (Mt Charleston tops out above 10K

not much lift in the local area.. some very weak thermals down low.. not
really workable.. the lennies were to far away to be towed to.. and the
local 8000ft ridge was not producing ridge lift..

BT

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:Njcyb.362928$Fm2.362681@attbi_s04...
We flew to Rantoul, IL today -- home of the Chanute Air Museum, on the
site
of the former Chanute Air Force Base. The wind was predicted to be
howling -- winds aloft were calling for 54 knots at 6000 feet! -- but the
sun was shining, and we were enjoying our first Saturday off since last
Oshkosh. So off to Rantoul we went.

Our local AWOS was calling the wind 180 at 13, gusts to 21 -- strong, but
right down one of our three runways. Takeoff was a non-event, and the
cool
temperatures meant we were soon climbing out at 1200+ fpm, even with 84
gallons and four aboard.

As we passed through 500 feet AGL, we experienced some moderate
turbulence,
followed by some really "hinky" air -- you know, the kind that lifts first
one wing sharply, then the other? It's an almost uncontrolled feeling,
where you really just kind of keep things pointed in the right direction
as
you climb through it.

Then, the most amazing thing happened. Our ground speed, which had been
an
anemic 90 knots or so climbing out in a shallow "cruise climb", suddenly
accelerated sharply. Within seconds, we were doing 130 knots climbing on
the SAME HEADING that had given us a headwind just moments earlier!

Interestingly, the air instantly became silky-smooth, with hand's off
flight
producing an absolutely rock-solid heading. As we leveled off at 5500
feet, our ground speed rapidly climbed through 170 knots, meaning that we
had a solid 30 knot tailwind, heading South. As we passed Muscatine, the
smoke from the power plant clearly showed a wind out of the South, yet at
5500 feet we were riding a strong tailwind from the North.

On the way home, Mary stayed down below 3000 feet, where the headwind (it
was no longer out of the South down low, dang it) was considerably less.
We
still dragged home at 117 knots, meaning we were bucking a 25 knot
headwind.
The one time ATC asked us to climb to 3500 for radar coverage, we
instantly
lost 25 knots in ground speed!

Again, the air was smooth as glass, however. It's hard to envision an air
flow that could cause such severe wind shear, yet not also cause moderate
to
severe turbulence.

Never seen anything quite like it.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

The wind was predicted to be howling -- winds
aloft were calling for 54 knots at 6000 feet!

One week ago today, returning from El Paso to Tucson at 12,000 feet I
had at times a greater than 100 kt headwind. I saw a low of a 27 kt
ground speed in my Mooney ! That leg of the flight averaged a 65 kt
ground speed (80 kt head wind).

KR

On Sat, 29 Nov 2003 18:57:49 -0800
"BTIZ" wrote:

the wind had gone "laminar" and you live in the flat lands..

we had light and variable all day on the ground.. winds at 6000ft (first
altitude forecast) was 200/6 at 9000 they were 250/25 and stayed that way
all the way to FL300, there were wonder "stacked lennies" on local Mt
Charleston all day long.. (Mt Charleston tops out above 10K

not much lift in the local area.. some very weak thermals down low.. not
really workable.. the lennies were to far away to be towed to.. and the
local 8000ft ridge was not producing ridge lift..


Why would you want a tow to where lenticulars clouds have formed? I thought
lenticulars are a sign of laminar flow, not turbulent flow. Or are the
lenticulars just the sign post to tell you that there is lots of wind and
there should be some lift near where there are lenticular clouds?

We get lenticulars here all the time, sometimes they march right out to
the Channel Islands. It's a fabulous sight to see. Although it'll
mean a bumpy ride for sure.


R. Hubbell


BT

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:Njcyb.362928$Fm2.362681@attbi_s04...
We flew to Rantoul, IL today -- home of the Chanute Air Museum, on the
site
of the former Chanute Air Force Base. The wind was predicted to be
howling -- winds aloft were calling for 54 knots at 6000 feet! -- but the
sun was shining, and we were enjoying our first Saturday off since last
Oshkosh. So off to Rantoul we went.

Our local AWOS was calling the wind 180 at 13, gusts to 21 -- strong, but
right down one of our three runways. Takeoff was a non-event, and the
cool
temperatures meant we were soon climbing out at 1200+ fpm, even with 84
gallons and four aboard.

As we passed through 500 feet AGL, we experienced some moderate
turbulence,
followed by some really "hinky" air -- you know, the kind that lifts first
one wing sharply, then the other? It's an almost uncontrolled feeling,
where you really just kind of keep things pointed in the right direction
as
you climb through it.

Then, the most amazing thing happened. Our ground speed, which had been
an
anemic 90 knots or so climbing out in a shallow "cruise climb", suddenly
accelerated sharply. Within seconds, we were doing 130 knots climbing on
the SAME HEADING that had given us a headwind just moments earlier!

Interestingly, the air instantly became silky-smooth, with hand's off
flight
producing an absolutely rock-solid heading. As we leveled off at 5500
feet, our ground speed rapidly climbed through 170 knots, meaning that we
had a solid 30 knot tailwind, heading South. As we passed Muscatine, the
smoke from the power plant clearly showed a wind out of the South, yet at
5500 feet we were riding a strong tailwind from the North.

On the way home, Mary stayed down below 3000 feet, where the headwind (it
was no longer out of the South down low, dang it) was considerably less.
We
still dragged home at 117 knots, meaning we were bucking a 25 knot
headwind.
The one time ATC asked us to climb to 3500 for radar coverage, we
instantly
lost 25 knots in ground speed!

Again, the air was smooth as glass, however. It's hard to envision an air
flow that could cause such severe wind shear, yet not also cause moderate
to
severe turbulence.

Never seen anything quite like it.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Didja consider dropping down some to see if got any better?

mike regish

"Ken Reed" wrote in message
...
The wind was predicted to be howling -- winds
aloft were calling for 54 knots at 6000 feet!

One week ago today, returning from El Paso to Tucson at 12,000 feet I
had at times a greater than 100 kt headwind. I saw a low of a 27 kt
ground speed in my Mooney ! That leg of the flight averaged a 65 kt
ground speed (80 kt head wind).

KR

R. Hubbell wrote:



Why would you want a tow to where lenticulars clouds have formed? I thought
lenticulars are a sign of laminar flow, not turbulent flow. Or are the
lenticulars just the sign post to tell you that there is lots of wind and
there should be some lift near where there are lenticular clouds?


You are right. Lenticulars indicate absolutely laminar.

But the windflow is often in "waves" with a slight upflow on the upwind
side of a cloud (and downflow on the other).... usually started by some
kind of pimple on the earth's surface. You may be able to run on that
for a while. I don't know if anybody does, cause there may be
wind-shear issues.

There may also be "turbulent" flow in a layer below the laminar flow,
but it would be capped somewhere below the base of the lenticulars.

"R. Hubbell" wrote in message
news:Badyb.12188$ZE1.9049@fed1read04...
Why would you want a tow to where lenticulars clouds have formed?

Two words: mountain wave.

Jay Honeck wrote:
...

Our local AWOS was calling the wind 180 at 13, gusts to 21 -- ...

As we passed through 500 feet AGL, we experienced some moderate turbulence,
followed by some really "hinky" air -- you know, the kind that lifts first
one wing sharply, then the other? ...snip...
Then, the most amazing thing happened. Our ground speed, which had been an
anemic 90 knots or so climbing out in a shallow "cruise climb", suddenly
accelerated sharply. Within seconds, we were doing 130 knots climbing on
the SAME HEADING that had given us a headwind just moments earlier!

Interestingly, the air instantly became silky-smooth, with hand's off flight
producing an absolutely rock-solid heading. As we leveled off at 5500
feet, our ground speed rapidly climbed through 170 knots, meaning that we
had a solid 30 knot tailwind, heading South. ...snip...

You were just a victim of a rather strong high to the south, and an
extremely deep low in Quebec (968 mb, or so). If the air was as laminar
as some posters suggest, then the effect of ground friction is much
enhanced, and you get that "light southwest" wind at the surface,
backing and strengthening significantly above 3000 feet.

The pressure gradient on the weather charts easily supports the winds
you experienced.

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:Njcyb.362928$Fm2.362681@attbi_s04...
Again, the air was smooth as glass, however. It's hard to envision an air
flow that could cause such severe wind shear, yet not also cause moderate
to
severe turbulence.

Never seen anything quite like it.

I did a few months ago when I was going to fly for breakfast to a nearby
airport. The wind at ground level was mild (5-10 or so) and I climbed
through some light turbulence to get to 1k agl where it was 'smooth as
glass'. I looked at my airspeed and it was reading normal (~90mph) but I
glanced at my GPS and it's showing 40mph ground speed. After deciding that
my GPS was actually working correctly, I did a 180 and headed back to my
home airport with the GPS reading 140mph ground speed. While in the pattern
for landing, I ran into the light turbulence again. About 20 feet above
touchdown, I hit the windshear! Came down a little bit hard when the
headwind quit...