WindShear:Recognition

andAvoidance

WhatisWindShear?

Windshearisasignificantchangeinwindspeedand/ordirectionoverashortdistance

Whatdoeswindshearlooklike?

Terrain-inducedwindshearmaybeindicatedbydark,rapidly-advancingareasonthewater,orby…

Whatdoeswindshearlooklike?

…suspiciouslycalmareasofwaterwhenareasurfacewindsexceed15knots.

CausesofWindShear

Thunderstorms TemperatureInversions

TerrainEffects

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Terrain-inducedwindshearistheleadingcauseoffloatplaneaccidentsinthePacificNorthwest/WesternCanada

Howdoeswindshearcreatefloatplaneaccidents?

Horizontal wind gusts exceed roll rate of aircraft

Howdoeswindshearcreatefloatplaneaccidents?

Downdrafts exceed aircraft’s climb performance

Howdoeswindshearcreatefloatplaneaccidents?

Abrupt loss of airspeed causes aircraft to stall

CommonWindShearTakeoffAccidents

Climboutintoterrain

Emergingfrom

ProtectionatLiftoff

TheDownWindTurn

TheEarlyLiftoff

CommonWindShearLanding

Accidents

Aircraftstallsinlowaltitude

turn

AircraftForcedonto

WaterAircraftUnabletoLandBeforeStrikingTerrain

StrategiesforAvoidingWindShearAccidents:

Strategy #1:

Visualize the “big picture”

StrategiesforAvoidingWindShearAccidents:

Strategy #2:

Overfly to determine wind pattern

StrategiesforAvoidingWindShearAccidents:

Strategy #3:

Don’t trade poor water for worse air.

StrategiesforAvoidingWindShearAccidents:

Strategy #4:

Avoid low altitude turns.

StrategiesforAvoidingWindShearAccidents:

Strategy #5:

Use landform protection cautiously.

StrategiesforAvoidingWindShearAccidents:

Strategy #6:

Always preserve a go-around option.

StrategiesforAvoidingWindShearAccidents:

Strategy #7:

Know when to quit. (Wind SOPs can help, but don’t cover all situations.)