Weather: Understanding wind gusts
Ground handling in gusty conditions in the landing field can be fun when it’s too strong or gusty to launch from the hill.

Weather: Understanding wind gusts

21 October, 2024, by Honza Rejmanek

Why do gusts happen, and how can you predict them? Honza has the answer

Wind gusts are short-lived abrupt increases in wind speed compared to the average wind speed. For terrestrial people, gusts can be annoying when they blow a hat off or break an umbrella. For pilots, a lot more is at stake when dealing with wind gusts, especially when flying close to the terrain on a relatively lightly loaded wing. 

Not long into our flying career we start to appreciate what gusts feel like in contrast to smooth air. And unless we stick to sled rides and coastal soaring, wind gusts are a reality we need to accept and understand. 

The key to staying safe is to be able to correctly anticipate gusts by type and by strength, and to have a realistic assessment of one’s piloting skills in regards to dealing with such gusts.

Different types of gusts

Gusts can be expected when wind flows over rough terrain, causing eddies or rotors to spin up and drift downwind. These...

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