landing with tailwinds

[couleeone]

At times left with no choice but to land with significant tailwinds or not land, I have landed a few times with as much as 12 kts tailwinds, once was at my mechanics grass strip and I needed to get my cub to him. That landing was uphill and on grass so went Ok just much longer, another time in that kind of tailwind was at Red Creek a little dirt strip 50 miles into the AZ backcountry about 1000' usable or so with a bluff on approach. I used the whole runway but once I touched the dirt slowed me down fairly fast. I crossed the threshold about 30-35mph full flaps even so the ground was whipping by me!

I practice a lot of landings with different tailwinds for experience, 12 kts has been my limit so far. Variable and gusty tailwinds landings are even more challenging!

What are your thoughts?

[RED1]

George, I believe the "legal" premise for max tailwind performance is 10 kts. Having said that, "sometimes a guy has to do what a guy has to do". Just be safe. Dick

[RanRan]

I will practice at altitude and watch the ground speed on the GPS. And then ask myself, do I really want to be touching down at 70mph? lol

[Springloaded]

Geo
I pretty much Take off & land on 09 at the house unless the winds are 15+ kts no matter were the winds are(in my cub),my taxy way is 1000 ft from threshold so there is plenty of room to stop.If you realy want to get going put it in a slip and you will feel the plane pick up the wind like a sail. I was getting some back seat time the other day and nearby airport reported 280 @14 gusting 17. After third landing I switched to 27 it is all good practice. I was flying with a guy in a husky had a 10kt tailwind he couldnt hardly get it on the ground and he couldnt figure out what the problem was,I didnt tell him until we were done.I told him One day it might be an emergency and you will need to be proficent with a tailwind. I have a 1000 strip with 60-80' trees at both ends in Ga. so it is kinda one way in & out so I try to keep in practice.
Chuck

[mharbeck]

Geo,
Haven't had a problem with tailwinds on landing but any crosswind on takeoff with a tailwind can get exciting. In other tail wheel aircraft, I have not had enough rudder or brake to stay straight with a quartering left cross wind. Just be careful with the lack of airflow over the flight controls at the slower speeds. The nose wheel pilots sometimes tend to operate downwind if it results in shorter taxi. mike

[Californiacubs]

Landing with a tail wind requires the following.

1. You have to know your required ground roll for touch down at every ground speed. For example 55MPH might requires 220FT 65MPH might requires 300FT where 30MPH might only require 100FT (these are only examples)

2. If you land with a 15MPH tail wind you will have little to no tail control effectiveness from a ground speed of 25MPH down to zero. You have to be very good with the brakes because braking is your only real source of directional control.

3. Don't land downhill with a tail wind.

[glickle]

Geo
I pretty much Take off & land on 09 at the house unless the winds are 15+ kts no matter were the winds are(in my cub),my taxy way is 1000 ft from threshold so there is plenty of room to stop.If you realy want to get going put it in a slip and you will feel the plane pick up the wind like a sail. I was getting some back seat time the other day and nearby airport reported 280 @14 gusting 17. After third landing I switched to 27 it is all good practice. I was flying with a guy in a husky had a 10kt tailwind he couldnt hardly get it on the ground and he couldnt figure out what the problem was,I didnt tell him until we were done.I told him One day it might be an emergency and you will need to be proficent with a tailwind. I have a 1000 strip with 60-80' trees at both ends in Ga. so it is kinda one way in & out so I try to keep in practice.
Chuck

Hi Chuck how was your trip to KOSH??? We need a report! ha ha. Best Gary

[Springloaded]

Hey Gary
It was great I think my wife had more fun than I did, met A lot of Good people along the way.We ended up meeting up with a friend of a friend up there, gave us a two story lake house for the week right on lake Winnebago( came with a Convertible Saab to drive around), sunsets looked like the Bahamas (we left the tent in the plane). Plane ran great, except for my oil pressure gauge going to 0 in the middle of the smokeys! It was beautiful country along the way.Met some of the people from Cubcrafter at Barbecue seem like a bunch of good people.Stopped by New Holstein super cub flyin .Probably have to do it again.
Chuck
I think Karen is already looking for somewhere else to go.