Pattern Work

[pappas]

I am on my second Waiex. This one a B. In my first, legacy Waiex, I was departing Buckeye airport in Arizona, notorious for the afternoon 90 deg crosswinds. I only had a few hours on it. I started my take-off roll holding left aileron (into the wind), picked up speed, raised the tail, as usual, and was immediately weather-vaned into the wind and run off the runway into the dirt making a giant cloud of dust. It must have looked like a major cartwheel event! Luckily there was no damage.

It was at that point that I remembered.....in a strong crosswind, keep the tailwheel glued to the pavement with aft stick until the plane flys itself off the ground where it will make the same dramatic weathervane into the wind. But, since I will be in the air by then, I don't care if it weathervanes while flying in ground effect. I have decided that it is much better to weathervane into the wind while in the air than while on the ground.