Jet Knot Wind Shear 
Plane and Pilot
FEBRUARY 28, 2025
Getting a couple of hundred thousand pounds of swept-wing jet down to sea level from 40,000 feet takes a bit of forethought and no shortage of technology. Most of the big jets, when faced with Newtons laws of motion, need a little assistance when going downhill. Speed Demon or Cruiser? Image: Shutterstock.
Plane and Pilot
JANUARY 8, 2025
Dawn had broken bright and clear, and while icing , ceiling, and visibility had been my preoccupationrightfully so, given our arrival into Portlandthe actual threat of the day was wind. As we walked from the wharf to breakfast, I saw that peak wind gusts were tickling the 40-knot mark. It doesnt have any limits for wind.
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Flying Magazine
APRIL 25, 2024
As we turned to intercept the localizer, the winds were 360 at 53 knots at 2,000 feet, according to our wind vector on the primary flight display. Our groundspeed was a meager 72 knots as we descended on the glideslope. The wind was 52 knots at 2,500 feet and decreased to nearly calm at 6,500 feet.
Chess In the Air
JULY 4, 2022
Considering the delay in the AWOS reporting, it may also be helpful to proactively use the radio to ask anyone on the ground for the current winds (e.g. Microbursts are not the only source of severe wind-shear close to the ground. Sudden and very powerful surface winds can have various other causes. Absolutely!
Flying Magazine
MAY 1, 2024
Some gust fronts can be completely harmless or may be a precursor for an encounter with severe turbulence and dangerous low-level convective wind shear. These gust fronts often contain severe or extreme turbulence, strong and gusty straight-line winds, and low-level convective wind shear.
Chess In the Air
JUNE 24, 2022
After we decided this, we heard a Challenger jet announce “Taxiing to 26 for takeoff”. It’s worth noting that Shmulik had a close call in the past: a jet pulled onto the runway in front of him with no radio call. This near miss was avoided only by the jet taking off immediately in front of him. He tried again, with no reply.
Pilot Institute
FEBRUARY 15, 2025
The pilots fought to recover, but the wind shear was too strong. The jet slammed into the ground six thousand feet short of the runway, taking the lives of 134 people. Key Takeaways Microbursts can cause severe wind shear and downdrafts. It is the most severe type of wind shear.
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