EAA Sport Aviation

did not, and that brings us to how to deal with such an event.

THE TACTICAL APPROACH

The strategy for coping with wind gradient begins with reminding yourself right before the event, or the potential event, that undesirable things do happen. Any takeoff includes the possibility of losing the engine; any flight includes the possibility of bad weather, power loss, or equipment malfunction. Any landing can include many unfortunate events, but when significant wind gradient is present, it can include a premature stall.

them as a P- 51, gradually relaxing the high standards we ought to demand of ourselves every time we fly. If we routinely try to land not far beyond the threshold, and to make the first taxiway turnoff without standing on the brakes, then we can usually deal with some extra airspeed on short final when significant wind gradient might be looming.

That was four years ago. The bent gear leg was replaced, and it’s still nice and straight. I plan to keep it that way.

Dave Matheny, EAA 184186, is a private pilot and an FAA ground instructor. He has been flying light aircraft, including ultralights, for almost 30 years. He can be reached at DaveMatheny3000@yahoo.com.

Go Fly... Glass.

If you even halfway suspect
that wind gradient might be
present, ... keep a hand on the
throttle, ready to add power.

If you even halfway suspect that wind gradient might be present, carry a little extra airspeed, keep your nose lower than usual, and keep a hand on the throttle, ready to add power.

That extra airspeed can keep you airborne for the length of time it takes to get down to the surface. A nose-low attitude, or at least a nose-lower-than-usual attitude, can allow you to reacquire that precious lost airspeed as quickly as added throttle can deliver it.

HIGH STANDARDS

These precautions require that the runway be long enough to handle a faster-than-usual landing if the dreaded wind gradient doesn’t materialize. Fortunately for us down at the lightweight end of the spectrum, most runways are plenty long enough. In fact, I have encountered only a few too-short-for-com-fort runways, and even those could have been landed on in a true emergency. It’s always worth stating: It is better to roll slowly off the far end of a runway than to fly rapidly into the near end.

Most runways are far longer than we lightweights need, so it’s easy to get into the slothful, forgetful habit of landing as far down

Now only $1,600!

Replace your steam gauges today!

Because some like to keep it simple - there are now basic, more affordable versions of our best-selling primary flight displays. Perfect for pilots that want to save panel weight, space, and installation time over a conventional six-pack.