Cruise: Descended slowly to 3,500 ft, following the valley south – probably the Rhône.
Intended Destination: Le Fare (LFNR), but conditions were too rough.
Landing: Diverted to Salon Air Base (LFMY), home of the Patrouille de France.
The wind at LFMY was reported at 330 degrees, 50 km/h – far too much for a featherweight aircraft like the Fieseler Fi 156 Storch.
Even with the engine at idle, the wind pushed the plane forward during taxiing.
And then it got worse:
A strong gust caught the high wing, lifted the tail, and nearly flipped the aircraft – straight toward parked Alpha Jets on the tarmac.
Departure: Col du Béal (LFJO) – a sloped mountain strip west of Lyon.
Cruise: Descended slowly to 3,500 ft, following the valley south – probably the Rhône.
Intended Destination: Le Fare (LFNR), but conditions were too rough.
Landing: Diverted to Salon Air Base (LFMY), home of the Patrouille de France.
The wind at LFMY was reported at 330 degrees, 50 km/h – far too much for a featherweight aircraft like the Fieseler Fi 156 Storch.
Even with the engine at idle, the wind pushed the plane forward during taxiing.
And then it got worse:
A strong gust caught the high wing, lifted the tail, and nearly flipped the aircraft – straight toward parked Alpha Jets on the tarmac.
Lesson Learned:
On the ground, the Storch is dangerously vulnerable to wind.
In real life, ground crews used to tie down the tail and load the plane heavily to keep it from being blown over at night.
In the sim? Same thing.
Set the CG aft, add some weight – or risk getting cartwheeled into military hardware.
