Which surface wind would exceed the airplane's crosswind capability of 0.2 VSO, if VSO is 60 knots?

To determine which surface wind exceeds the airplane's crosswind capability of 0.2 VSO, first calculate the maximum crosswind component that the airplane can handle. With a VSO of 60 knots, 0.2 VSO is:

0.2 * 60 knots = 12 knots.

Now, assessing the wind conditions for each option, we need to evaluate the crosswind component. The effective crosswind is influenced by the angle between the wind direction and the runway heading. Generally, the crosswind component can be calculated using the formula:

Crosswind component = Wind speed * sin(angle).

In this case, we can analyze the wind directions provided in the options:

In the context of the choices:

• The surface wind of 275° at 25 knots would represent a nearly direct crosswind relative to a runway aligned east-west, resulting in a significant crosswind component, but careful calculation shows it remains within the manageable limits.

• The wind direction of 315° at 35 knots also results in a substantial crosswind component closer to the limit, but remains marginal with appropriate handling.

• The wind of 260° at 20 knots needs to be considered more closely. This direction is also off-angle which can yield a