With all the recent discussion about wind and wave estimates, I have to pass
along this experience.

It's blowing hard here in Maine today. I went out to the airport to check my
plane and was glad I did. The cabin cover had come loose and was beating
against the sides. The heavy, insulated engine cover had blown right over
the nose and let the oil door pop open. The plane had walked forward even
though chocked. Pushing it back against the wind took real effort. When the
tie downs slacked as I pushed it back, the plane started dancing and
bouncing hard against the ropes. I put a second tie down rope on the tail
and noticed that just the distraction of the wind in my face made it hard to
untangle the line and tie a knot as efficiently as normal.

It was pretty sobering to watch the control surfaces slating and moving even
though they are all secured with gust locks. The tie down area sounded like
a bunch of elves were banging tin cans flat as the rudders of the many
planes with casual owners slammed back and forth in the wind. As I walked
back, the wind was strong enough that I had to lean forward slightly and
push against it. I realized that I will be sailing again in a few short
months and thought, Wow! This was all happening on firm, solid, asphalt.

When I got back inside, I got out my cell phone and dialed the weather
number in the control tower. "22 gusting to 32" and this is measured 50 to
60 feet up in the clear air above the wind gradient. I'll bet there are a
lot of sailors, probably some in this newsgroup, who have never seen 30
knots of wind while out on the water.

--

Roger Long