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  • Chapter 7. Safety of Flight › Section 4. Wake Turbulence › 7-4-4. Vortex Behavior

    time and hasten the drift of the downwind vortex toward another runway. (See FIG 7-4-6.) Similarly, a tailwind condition can move the vortices of the preceding aircraft forward into the touchdown zone. THE LIGHT QUARTERING TAILWIND REQUIRES MAXIMUM ... aircraft upwind from their approach and takeoff flight paths. (See FIG 7-4-7.) Vortex Movement in Ground Effect - Tailwind…

  • Chapter 11: Aircraft Performance › Takeoff and Landing Performance › Takeoff Performance

    allow the aircraft to reach the lift-off speed at a lower groundspeed, while the effect of a tailwind is to require the aircraft to achieve a greater groundspeed to attain the lift-off speed. A headwind that ... percent of the takeoff airspeed reduces the takeoff distance approximately 19 percent. However, a tailwind that is 10 percent of the takeoff airspeed increases the takeoff distance approximately 21 percent. In the case where the headwind speed is 50 percent…

  • Chapter 12: Weather Theory › Wind and Currents › Low-Level Wind Shear

    Conversely, a headwind changing to a tailwind causes a decrease in airspeed and performance. In either case, a pilot must be prepared to react immediately to these changes to maintain control of the aircraft. The most severe type ... first experience a performance-increasing headwind (1), followed by performance-decreasing downdrafts (2), followed by a rapidly increasing tailwind (3). This can result in terrain impact or flight dangerously close to the ground (4). An encounter during approach involves…

  • Chapter 7. Safety of Flight › Section 1. Meteorology › 7-1-24. Microbursts

    winds near the surface can be as strong as 45 knots resulting in a 90 knot shear (headwind to tailwind change for a traversing aircraft) across the microburst. These strong horizontal winds occur within a few hundred feet ... this is followed in short succession by a decreasing headwind component (2), a downdraft (3), and finally a strong tailwind (4), where 2 through 5 all result in decreasing performance of the airplane. Position (5) represents an extreme situation just…

  • Chapter 14: Transition to Tailwheel Airplanes › Taxiing

    times, so holding the stick away from the crosswind is good practice (left aileron in a right quartering tailwind). Elevator positioning in tailwinds is a bit more complex. Standard teaching tends to recommend full forward stick in any degree ... tailwind, arguing that a tailwind striking the elevator when it is deflected full down increases downward pressure on the tailwheel assembly and increases directional control. Equally important, if the elevator were to remain deflected up, a strong tailwind…

  • 10 Wind › 10.7 Adverse Winds › 10.7.3 Tailwind

    Gust 10.7.3 Tailwind Figure 10-22. Crosswind Climb Flightpath A gust is a fluctuation of wind speed with variations of 10 knots (kt) or more between peaks and lulls. Even if the airplane is oriented into the wind, gusts during ... aircraft to sink. Gusty winds at the point of touchdown provide significant challenges to a safe landing. 10.7.3 Tailwind A tailwind is a wind with a component of motion from behind the aircraft. A tailwind can be hazardous during both…