 Weather Related Emergencies  High Winds and Strong Turbulence  High Winds and Turbulence During Takeoffs and  Landings  High Winds and Turbulence During Cruise Flight  High Winds During Taxi Preflight planning for intended airports and winds aloft over  the planned route and possible diversions can provide the  pilot a means of anticipating the winds that would exceed  aircraft or pilot capabilities. However, unanticipated high  winds can create an emergency for any aircraft. High  winds during cruise flight are not a danger unless they  create extreme/severe turbulence, or the pilot is fl ying with  questionable fuel reserves into a headwind that is stronger  than expected. Takeoffs in high winds can simply be avoided by deciding not  to fly. However, if a pilot takes off and encounters high winds  or turbulence, high energy should be maintained throughout  the climb and departure. If it is determined that the winds are too high for landing  at the intended location, divert to another location or  wait until the strong winds subside to land. This is where  the Automated Weather Observation Station (AWOS),  Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS), or radio  contact with other airports can assist the pilot in fi nding an  airport with wind conditions within the pilot’s capabilities  and aircraft limitations. If the winds at cruise altitude provide an unanticipated  slower groundspeed than planned, and the fuel reserves are  questionable, the flight should be diverted to an alternate  airport so there is no chance of running out of fuel for the  intended flight. Stronger headwinds and crosswinds slow the  groundspeed; tailwinds increase the groundspeed, resulting  in the ability to reach airports that are farther away. The GPS  is an accurate tool for measuring an aircraft’s groundspeed  during fl ight. If the headwind is within the pilot’s capabilities and aircraft  limitations but the crosswinds are above any limitations,  the pilot may need to land on a taxiway or sideways on a  runway that is wide enough, thus reducing the crosswind  component to acceptable levels. Strong winds produce strong  mechanical turbulence on the lee side of objects which should  be considered and avoided during any takeoff or landing in  strong winds. In high winds, it is generally advisable to cruise with enough  ground clearance to assure that turbulence or sinking air does  not reduce altitude to an unsafe level. For example, maintain  at least 1,000 feet AGL when flying in strong winds to be far  enough away from the ground to account for any turbulence,  wind shear, or downdrafts. For strong head winds during taxi, the nose must be lowered  to keep the WSC aircraft on the ground. Raising the nose  could allow the WSC aircraft to lift off. In any case, the nose  should be lowered completely to keep the WSC aircraft on  the ground. In strong tail winds, the nose must be raised so  that the wind does not get underneath the wing and lift it up  from the back and possibly tumble it forward. If the wing  starts to lift from the back, release the brake and push the  control bar forward to keep the wing from lifting and possibly  tumbling forward. If a pilot is flying and sees high wind or a gust front  approaching with blowing dust or other indicators, a decision  must be made to land and secure the WSC aircraft before  the gust front hits, or turn and fly away from the area as fast  as possible. Never fly into a gust front. If it looks like strong  winds, it probably is and avoiding it is wise. Strong turbulence can be created from high winds, wind  shear, rising/falling unstable air, or any combination of  these. As described in the basic flight maneuvers chapter,  the pilot should keep the wings and pitch angle within the  manufacturer’s limitations through power and control bar  flying techniques. Generally, if the turbulence continues to  increase, fly back to where the turbulence was less severe  instead of continuing where the turbulence might become  more severe. However, if the pitch becomes too high and  a whip stall occurs, as the nose drops into a dive, the pilot  should push the control bar full forward and apply full  power for the best chance of recovering to normal fl ight and  not progressing into a tumble. The best whip stall/tumble  avoidance is to avoid severe turbulence and keeping the nose  within the manufacturer’s limitations. Strong crosswinds during taxi must be managed by keeping  the wing level or slightly down into the wind so the wind does  not catch it, lift up, and topple the WSC aircraft to the side,  causing significant damage. If the wind pushes down on the  wing, it could pin it to the ground which is the better option.  If the wing does become pinned from the wind, the pilot can  give some throttle and steer into the wind, rotating around  the tip and freeing the wing from the pinned state. This may  cause damage to the tip from scraping on the ground. If the  windward side gets too high and wind gets under the wing  lifting it from the side, all efforts should be made to hold it  down while the front wheel is turned downwind and the nose  raised to turn with the wind and avoid tumbling sideways. 13-15