Wind Restrictions

Overview

Wind restrictions are the primary operational limits affecting flight training operations. These include both direct wind speed limits and crosswind component calculations for the active runway.

Wind Speed Thresholds

Summary Table

Wind Speed (knots) Flight Status Pilot Categories Authorized
< 20 All Pilots Clear All
20-24 Private+ Only Private, Commercial, Instrument, CFI
25-29 Commercial/Instrument Only Commercial, Instrument, CFI
≥ 30 All Flights Restricted None

Detailed Breakdowns

Student Pilot Limit: 20 knots

Threshold: Wind speed ≥ 20 knots
Effect: Restricts student pilots
Status: Private+ Only (or higher)

Rationale: Student pilots are building foundational skills and may not have sufficient experience managing higher wind conditions, particularly during takeoff and landing phases.

Private Pilot Limit: 25 knots

Threshold: Wind speed ≥ 25 knots
Effect: Restricts student and private pilots
Status: Commercial/Instrument Only (or higher)

Rationale: Private pilots may have limited recent experience with higher winds. Commercial and instrument-rated pilots have demonstrated higher skill levels and currency requirements.

All Pilots Limit: 30 knots

Threshold: Wind speed ≥ 30 knots
Effect: Restricts all pilots
Status: All Flights Restricted

Rationale: Winds at or above 30 knots pose significant challenges for all aircraft in the training fleet, including increased risk of loss of control, difficulty maintaining runway alignment, and potential aircraft damage.

Wind Gust Considerations

Gust Threshold: 30 knots

Threshold: Wind gusts ≥ 30 knots
Effect: Triggers “All Flights Restricted” status
Display: Shows as “🌬️ Gusts XX knots” (only if gusts exceed sustained wind speed)

Rationale: Sudden wind gusts can create dangerous situations during critical phases of flight, particularly during landing. Gusts of 30 knots or greater are considered unsafe regardless of sustained wind speed.

Crosswind Component Calculations

Runway Information

Primary Runway: 12/30 at KCPS

Calculation Method

Crosswind component is calculated using:

crosswind = windSpeed * sin(|windDirection - runwayHeading|)

The system calculates crosswind for both runway directions and uses the maximum value.

Crosswind Thresholds

Crosswind (knots) Flight Status Pilot Categories Authorized
≤ 10 All Pilots Clear All
> 10 and ≤ 15 Private+ Only Private, Commercial, Instrument, CFI
> 15 and ≤ 20 Commercial/Instrument Only Commercial, Instrument, CFI
> 20 All Flights Restricted None

Student Pilot Crosswind Limit: 10 knots

Threshold: Crosswind component > 10 knots
Effect: Restricts student pilots
Status: Private+ Only (or higher)

Rationale: Crosswind landings require precise control and coordination. Student pilots are still developing these skills and may not safely handle crosswinds exceeding 10 knots.

Private Pilot Crosswind Limit: 15 knots

Threshold: Crosswind component > 15 knots
Effect: Restricts student and private pilots
Status: Commercial/Instrument Only (or higher)

Rationale: Crosswinds above 15 knots require advanced techniques and consistent proficiency. Commercial and instrument pilots maintain higher currency requirements.

All Pilots Crosswind Limit: 20 knots

Threshold: Crosswind component > 20 knots
Effect: Restricts all pilots
Status: All Flights Restricted

Rationale: Crosswind components exceeding 20 knots approach or exceed the demonstrated crosswind capability of many training aircraft and pose significant risk of runway excursion or loss of control.

Implementation Details

Code Location

Wind calculations are performed in:

Calculation Example

Given:

Calculation:

Difference = |270 - 122| = 148°
Crosswind = 22 * sin(148°) = 22 * 0.53 ≈ 11.7 knots

Result: Crosswind component of 11.7 knots triggers Private+ Only status

Display Format

Wind restrictions are displayed with the 🌬️ emoji indicator:

Examples:

Testing Scenarios

The following scenarios are demonstrated in the demo page:

  1. Moderate Winds (Scenario 2): 22 knots → Private+ Only
  2. High Crosswind (Scenario 3): 18.2 knot crosswind → Commercial Only
  3. Very High Winds (Scenario 4): 32 knots → All Restricted
  4. Multiple Factors (Scenario 7): 26 knots + 16.8 knot crosswind → Commercial Only
  5. Cold Weather with Winds (Scenario 10): 22 knots + cold temp → Private+ Only

Related Documentation: