Crosswind

The orange windsock on the lower right of the photo is nearly straight out with 15 knot winds gusting to 25 directly across to the runway. Good time for light aircraft to remain on the ground.

I did successfully challenge similar winds once in Cheyenne, Wyoming, in a Piper Clipper but the runway was much wider. Winds there were directly across the runway at 18 knots, and my airplane crosswind limit was 11 knots. However, when cleared for take off, I immediately added takeoff power while still on the taxiway. The tailwheel was off the ground before I got to the edge of the runway, and the plane was essentially flying by the time it reached the centerline. Then I turned left down the runway with the stick cross-controlled against the rudder and proceeded another 300 feet or so with the right wing low and the left tire off the pavement but in full control of the plane. When it lifted off at the desired airspeed, I turned about 20 degrees to the right to compensate for the wind drift and keep the ground track over the runway.

It wouldn’t have worked on a runway as narrow as the one in the photo. If someone tried it that at this airport, both plane and pilot would likely incur some significant repair bills.

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