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Thread: Handling the bumps

  1. #1
    Senior Member fastfred's Avatar
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    Default Handling the bumps

    Fall flying can get windy and rough. How do you guys deal with flying on the bumping turbulent days? Speed up, slow down , let the plane go on its own or stay at the hanger?

  2. #2
    Senior Member Dusty's Avatar
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    Default Re: Handling the bumps

    Slow down and keep heavy,full tanks is best.
    But if you can, wait to a better day

  3. #3
    Senior Member Dorsal's Avatar
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    Default Re: Handling the bumps

    Flying early in the morning tends to be smoother. I don't mind some bumps but when I have to brace myself by holding on to the upper cabin frame its just not fun anymore, time to land.
    Dorsal ~~^~~
    Series 7 - Tri-Gear
    912 ULS Warp Drive

  4. #4
    Senior Member jiott's Avatar
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    Default Re: Handling the bumps

    Yes, morning or late afternoon is better. Heavy is also better, but really doesn't help that much. It also seems like a tailwind is worse. My very best solution is to climb up in altitude. Here in the Willamette Valley it can be very bumpy until you get up to about 3500' and then it usually miraculously smooths out, assuming a clear day. If its broken cloudy just get above the clouds.
    Jim Ott
    Portland, OR
    Kitfox SS7 flying
    Rotax 912ULS

  5. #5
    Senior Member efwd's Avatar
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    Default Re: Handling the bumps

    Damn Dorsal, sounds like you have some experience. By the way you describe it I am certain I wouldn't like it either.
    Eddie Forward
    Flying
    SS7, 912iS, Garmin G3X

  6. #6
    Senior Member Flybyjim's Avatar
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    Default Re: Handling the bumps

    I understand the bumps on some days. What I find is that the more I fly the less they bother me unless it gets really bad, like out of your seat bad. This year the weather in Pa has not been friendly for flying, at least when I was able to fly. Rain, rain, fog on my days off work so I only have about 35 hours logged since 1/1/18. So, the bumps do bother me a bit when I have not been in the air for a while. I agree mornings and evenings are more rewarding.

  7. #7
    Guy Buchanan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Handling the bumps

    Welcome to low wing loading. That's a fact of our life. What you can do:

    1. Wear Clarity Aloft or similar headsets so there's more headroom. Make sure your ball-cap doesn't have a button on top.
    2. Put insulation on any bars your head can hit. Don't use the neoprene, look for the more rigid foam stuff. It lasts a long time and stays nice looking.
    3. When flying try to let the plane do what it wants as much as possible. That's to say, you don't want to add your own turbulence caused by control inputs. After a while, you get good at responding to turbulence as it happens. I used to roll in aileron as the wing lifted, sorta just keeping the stick vertical and letting the plane roll into it. As the gust passed and the aileron took hold and rolled the plane out I just kept it vertical until the plane was horizontal and there was no more aileron input.
    4. I finally learned that it was best just to ignore changes in altitude, assuming you were high enough, because doing so always put me out of phase with what the air was doing so I was constantly climbing and descending. In the old days, with the 582, that was a major pain. Now I just let the plane go up and down, sometimes +/- 500', but try to average my altitude. If you're talking to ATC, tell them your problem and ask for a block altitude.
    Guy Buchanan
    San Diego, CA
    Deceased K-IV 1200 / 912uls / 70" Warp 3cs

    gebuchanan@cox.net

  8. #8
    Senior Member fastfred's Avatar
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    Default Re: Handling the bumps

    Sounds like I have the right ideas but If my head is banging on the roof I will be heading for the hanger.
    I don't mind some bumps but tipping it up 30 or 40 degrees really bugs me. No one has mentioned climbing out does that help?
    The next question in these conditions how do you stabilize your approach?
    Thanks for the input.

  9. #9
    Senior Member efwd's Avatar
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    Default Re: Handling the bumps

    Here is one way to stabilize an approach.

    Youtube this. "Cessna 150 vs CYOS Crosswinds"
    Eddie Forward
    Flying
    SS7, 912iS, Garmin G3X

  10. #10
    Senior Member fastfred's Avatar
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    Default Re: Handling the bumps


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