Cross Wind Practice

I decided to once again take to the sky!  My drywall/painter canceled this morning but not early enough to allow me to meet up with the Woodbine Airport bunch that headed out to Sky Manor - N40   for breakfast.  I did manage to get some homework done and did some reading for the quiz due for each class by tomorrow morning. It's too nice to sit here and read, I decided to head to the airport.

Philly in the distant haze

I sent a text to Vince to see if he wanted in and he said he would meet me at the plane. The plan for today was just to get some cross wind practice in at a different airport with a runway that isn't as wide as Wilmington's 150 feet.  Brandywine - KOQN, with its 50 foot runway width is just a short hop to the north and the winds can be fun as you cross the gully at runway two seven, that's my plan.  I took on a few gallons to replenish yesterdays fuel burn and completed the pre-flight.

I was launching off runway one niner and making a right turn on course, the winds were kicking! I had a great tail wind pushing me north at 120+ knots. I tracked the Modena VOR and then broke it off to enter on the forty-five passing between two water towers like a football heading for a field goal. I announced a three mile forty-five and continued in. Down wind, base and final has me high and fast. I pull the remaining power and slip to the numbers adding the last notch of flaps as I clear the gully (roadway). Not bad for round one as I taxi clear.

KOQN Short Final RW27

The second round has us climbing out of Brandywine and headed to Chester County-KMQS. The winds here should be a direct cross wind and add to the challenge. Winds were from 200- 210 and I pointed for runway two niner. I had plenty of Aileron in as I touched down and still got a bit of a side load push until my right main was solid on the ground and the flaps were retracted. We taxied clear and headed back for the hop home.

On the ramp at KOQN

Departing runway two niner and maintaining noise abatement I turn cross wind to the south. I hear a call from an aircraft on the forty five for the left down wind two nine and start an immediate climb at 1000 fpm to get above pattern. Searching for the traffic at my one o'clock Vince makes the call, traffic low right to left passing under us by at least 500 feet. See and avoid at all times, at least he made his calls.

More bumpy air as we contact Wilmington with the current info, intentions and final parking request.  We are directed to make a straight in for runway one niner and after avoiding the VP's TFR we line up on a 3 mile final approach. I grade this landing as ok while my main concern is clearing the runway with three aircraft behind me. I make the first turn off and clear one niner as I  spot the Archer passing over the numbers. There was a jet behind him and another piston pounder as #3 to land.

A fun quick hour of bumps and crosswinds! Ok, my fun is over, back to the kitchen remodel.