Tailwind landings

N2580D · Post by **N2580D** » Mon Aug 19, 2002 4:51 am

This is just about one particular strip. Those of you who might be interested in going into Shearer (2U5, 10 miles up the Selway River from Moose Ck, in Idaho), Do NOT try landing with a tail wind!! If you have the proper altitude on approach a go around is not possible. I don't know how I did it; God obviously didn't want me in the trees. A fellow in a tail wheel PA 22 wasn't so lucky. The fishing, however is GREAT ! It's also a fine camping area. We were in there for nearly a week and made many landings and departures...only one down wind!
Pete

wa4jr · Post by **wa4jr** » Tue Aug 20, 2002 1:17 am

Glad you survived that strip OK, Pete

Sounds like you had an experience similar to mine earlier this month at T94 in San Antonio while landing on rwy 30 with a tailwind....per the published special operating procedure

Rudy Mantel · Post by **Rudy Mantel** » Wed Aug 28, 2002 11:47 pm

Downwind landings are a REALLY BAD procedure, in any airplane, but especially in a tailwheel. Those WW1 little biplanes were controlable because they always took off and were landed into the wind, on a large grass field. Sadly, we have to land on runways, mostly paved. So it's important to always choose the one most into the wind.
My only unintentional groundloop was as I was starting a takeoff run on an 8,000 ft runway with a Helio Courier with a 20 k tailwind. Luckily it only did a 180 and nothing was hurt except my dignity.
Rudy