I had an interesting landing experience at an airport called Big Bear (L35) a couple weeks ago. It's 6800 feet high with a density altitude usually around 10. I had just started the takeoff roll, just lifted the tail, when something picked me up and threw me off to the side with first one wing almost hitting the ground and then the other. I don't know whether I reacted correctly with controls or not - it was very sudden and unexpected and all I recall is that I immediately realized I had absolutely no control over what was happening. I "knew" something had broke - but what? I came to a stop cockeyed on the edge of the runway when the airport security guy came on the radio telling me I had just run into a whirlwind. He and his sidekick had been watching the takeoff - that's one thing about KR's . . . people always want to watch the takeoff to see if something so small can really fly. I should have mentioned to the security guy that in the future if they see someone taking off into a whirlwind they might do better to mention it before rather than after, but oh well.
I taxiied off the runway and got out and the security truck came over and stopped. I wanted to see if I still had my wingtips and tires. The security guys pointed out the whirlwind and I still could not see it until it slowly moved off the runway and onto an area where it could pick up some dust and debris. It was 4 to 5 hundred feet high. I don't know what we can do to protect ourselves with our tiny planes against invisible whirlwinds. There was no movement of anything on the ground to give away its presence but maybe I just wasn't paying close enough attention. I will certainly give the possibility of whirlwinds (dust devils without the dust) more consideration next time I'm at a runway where conditions are ripe for such things. Heavier planes have a better time of it although whirlwinds can bring down planes as big as 737's, as happened in Denver. On landing whirlwinds are not quite as dangerous since at landing speed one is through them quickly and there may be some altitude to give a margin for maneuvering - unless you run into one while rolling out. On takeoff however it's another story. No speed, no margin, no nothing except luck if you run into one. This is the first time I've ever run into a whirlwind on takeoff that I can recall - probably because they usually have a little dust in them making them avoidable. Big Bear, it turns out, is known for these things and almost everyone who flies in SoCal and visits L35 for the great fly-in restaurant there has their wind-shear/dust devil story. It usually occurs during approach and landing. Nobody I've told this story to around here has ever had it happen on takeoff. So that's my dust devil story. In a 310 I would have barely noticed it. In a KR it was a major event. *********** Anyone responding on the net please don't re-post this whole thing. All it takes is one or two people who don't trim their responses to turn the newsletter into a mess. Thanks. Mike KSEE ____________________________________________________________ Get Free Email with Video Mail & Video Chat! http://www.juno.com/freeemail?refcd=JUTAGOUT1FREM0210
