Fly-In Tips from Commander Bill

Crosswinds at Mammoth

One of the realities of flying into the Mammoth Airport is the potential for afternoon crosswinds, particularly during the spring and summer. Crosswinds, just like fog, snow or thunderstorms, are a meteorological condition and must be planned for accordingly. So, when planning your flight, check the winds prior to take off and know the limits of your aircraft as well as your own expertise. If the crosswind is more than you can handle when you arrive, it's easy enough to divert to Bishop, 35 miles south, and wait until things die down. Our crosswinds tend to come from the south and bounce off Doe Ridge which is at the Eastern end of runway 27 on the north side of the runway. As this may create a vortex effect at the approach end of runway 27 I would advise you to avoid the first 3000' of 27 if crosswinds exceed 15kts. Our runway is 7000' so you should have plenty remaining.

Finally, remember to keep crosswind aileron in the after landing and also when taxiing for takeoff.