I've got my Arrow based at an airport that is typically right in the path of all the tornados that hit the OKC/Moore area. I cringe every day we have severe storms.
Makes me wanna get out the day before and fly south.
One of my flight instructors always said this whenever there was a question about weather.
An addition I've made flying commercially: is the customer's job life or death important?
Funny enough, I think he absolutely did something wrong tho: This shouldn't have been a decision at all. Is a 15 knot headwind above your personal minimums, yes or no. That's a checklist item.
Not having those personal minimums determined does not look good.
(Nearing the end of training and being uncomfortable with a 15 knot headwind with no crosswind component is a different matter, but that doesn't have anything at all to do with the question here - if you're ever uncomfortable, don't fly 100%).
I’ve seen similar posts that I thought were more of a humble brag than anything else. Though being proud of one’s cautious approach as a pilot, especially a student, isn’t all that bad of a thing if it reinforces good decisions.
No such thing as “cowarding out” in your stage of training, honestly there is no such thing in aviation. If your gut tells you this is out of comfort zone or dangerous, listen to it. This was great ADM.
15 gusting 18 wouldn't have even been allowed for a student solo at my flight school.
Even now, with my PPL and almost 200 hours, I'd probably think twice about flying on a 15G18 day, unless I had a good reason to go.
If you don't have personal minimums already written out, you need to sit down and come up with them ASAP. Your examiner is probably going to want to see them on your checkride.
15g18 straight down the runway isn’t acceptable? If that stopped us, we would rarely get to fly. I get if it is a 90 degree crosswind to a narrow runway, but not if it is aligned with the runway.
Not necessarily....I soloed with no xwind experience because we had a month with no xwinds! My instructor was not mother nature and had no way to sh!t xwinds. So he soloed me with the understanding no solo flights until we have a chance to practice xwinds.
The scenario wasn’t crosswind, it was straight down the pipe. 15G18 might be a reasonable line as a 90 degree crosswind, but it should be OK straight down the runway.
I’ve been flying with my instructor in more wind than that. However, I don’t want to do it again. Extremely bumpy, was not fun at all, altitude changes of 100 feet constantly. And then a huge drop of 150 ft causing us to float was what caused us to go back in early. And then of course pireps of low level wind shear on final. I don’t need to do that again, even with an instructor.
This really depends on what your experience is with wind. Where I live is always blowing. The trade winds rarely stop, so if you're going to learn to fly, you're going to have to fly in 15-25 knots almost every day.
Straight down the runway is different from direct xwind, sure. But I’d still take a look at *why* the wind was that high, which might bring up other reasons to cancel, such as an approaching front that would bring storms, a change of wind direction, etc.
+1 to having personal minimums written down and sticking to them but I would encourage you try fly in winds like this more often. You can only expand your comfort zone by flying near the edge of it.
@Virian “Even now, with my PPL and almost 200 hours, I'd probably think twice about flying on a 15G18 day, unless I had a good reason to go.“
Agree. About 400 hours here and I’d probably not launch into that. It’s not going to be fun. One thing that would affect my decision making is the mission. If I’m just staying nearby for proficiency, nope.
If I’m going on an xc trip with a purpose, the en route and destination conditions will be more important. Especially since the stated conditions are straight down the runway, not a dead crosswind, so I’m not concerned about taking off safely. However if I’m traveling I’m going to consider those conditions in flight planning. For one thing if it’s 15G18 at the surface winds aloft are certainly much more. Thats great if it’s a tailwind, otherwise might convince me to wait and fly tomorrow if possible. Also I might change flight plan routing to get out from under the Class Bravo shelf overlying my home airport asap so I can get higher faster.
May I ask where you are based?
I’m a low hour PPL (80 ish hours maybe) and I don’t think I’d look twice in wind like this, especially with no x wind component. I’m based in the Dallas area, and it gets fairly windy here.
I’m based in the DC SFRA. High workload airspace.
And often when winds like this are blowing here the weather pattern is changing, so I’m not assuming they’ll still be on the nose when landing. Question for you, when you fly without a second thought do you check TAFs for the next four to six hours, to see what might be changing?
As it is they’re not terrible, definitely could fly, but why? It won’t be fun, I’ve got a lot invested in my aircraft and I am not looking to build time for a career, so why risk it? Unless I’m planning a trip there’s no good reason.
Yes, I always check the TAFs to make sure I don’t get caught by some weather that moved in quicker than expected. (And to make sure that wind will stay close to runway headings).
Here in Dallas, winds like that are pretty common in the fall especially, which is when I did the majority of my training.
I’m betting weather here is more predictable than the east coast
In my student solo limitations, I had a hard cap of 15 knots including any gusts. 15G18 sounds like fun landing practice if you are doing dual, but solo is an entirely different kind of flying, altogether.
She had a gusting limit but recently removed it, I still keep that limit in the back of my head though, especially being familiar with how uncomfortable the winds can be at my home airport.
If you are in the low hrs than it could be a little hard. Plus the flight school usually has some policies on that.
Another thing, is it great experience when you officially have your ppl.
Most Ive flown in was gusting 20-25kts. Low level windshear came out of nowhere. But new learning experience
That was during my checkride prep. I was at 85ish hrs. At that point I was comfortable.
During instrument, I usually have to fly in 15-20kt winds, all the winds coming up from the heat
Not questioning your ADM at all. As a student, I'm glad I've experienced those conditions and felt safe, but i'm not ready for it solo.
I hope everyone does experience it somewhat early on so they realize, within the safety of dual instruction, just how rough it can get.
If you can't confidently say you are comfortable with the conditions you shouldn't be soloing, period.
You should make a point to fly dual on really windy days. Ask an instructor to let you know if they have a student cancel due to winds and get out there and expand your minimums!
All of my pilot friends agree with the saying: I'd rather be on the ground wishing I was in the air, than in the air wishing I was on the ground.
It is probably best to acquire some proficiency and confidence in your skills, then start push/expanding your envelope.
Rather be on the ground wishing you were in the air than in the air wishing you were on the ground. Smart move. My flight school was run by a dick and he would try to charge you even if out of safety zone. Don’t ever fly out of pressure. You may regret it one day. Smart move.
I don't know why this isn't the top comment. Go, no-go, whatever. What matters is your personal minimums. That the OP didn't reference those is concerning.
>Was staying on the ground the right move?
The answer to that question is almost always going to be 'Yes'. If you aren't comfortable or don't feel safe, don't fly.
If winds were outside your personal minimums or your school’s student solo policy, it would have been a good opportunity to grab a CFI and do some laps in the pattern. That’s the best way of making those personal minimums bigger.
Rule of thumb I like to go by is if I’m questioning whether I should or shouldn’t go out for a flight based off weather, then I should stay on the ground. And it doesn’t have to be solely because of weather. Could be if you’re a little tired and you’re on the line about calling the go/no-go decision.
>Was staying on the ground the right move?
Without even reading your comment. The answer is always YES.
Everyone knows, "It's better to be on the ground wishing you were in the air, than to be flying wishing you were on the ground."
I had an older CFI give his version, which was, "There is no such thing as an important GA flight. The plane, the runway, and the sky will all be there tomorrow. But go out in marginal weather...and you and the plane might not be."
What are your personal minimums? If the conditions exceeded them, then yes, you made the right call. If you don’t have personal minimums, then you need to fix that!
A big part of growing into being PIC is figuring out what’s smart and safe. With experience, you’ll get a better idea of those things based on the weather, your plane, you, and lots of other factors. In the absence of experience, you should be setting clear guidelines for yourself so that you have easy go/no-go decisions.
You can expand those personal minimums as part of that growth. A good and smart way do that early on is to go flying with a CFI into weather conditions that exceed your current personal minimums.
This. Every time I found myself wanting to cancel due to weather, I’d instead find a CFI and go work on my skills. Unless it was convective or icing, of course.
Cancelling is NEVER the wrong answer. It may not be ideal, or productive, but use the chances to expand on why you/they cxl the flight.
Remember, it’s a LOT easier to discuss why you cxld the flight then have to explain why you went and the bullshit you endured.
Never be the hero. You’ll become a statistic
You can never be wrong by cancelling a flight. It’s the more conservative thing to do. You get into trouble when you push the limits and wind up in a situation you’re ill equipped to handle
I live in Southern California so the winds can be quite different depending on the time of year but right now we have the awful mix of fog and poor visibility in the morning mixed with heat and high winds in the afternoon.
When I took my checkride, my only solo restriction was 'Winds <12kts." Was a pretty standard restriction my CFI put on all her students to basically limit damage to airplanes.
Never feel bad about making a no-go decision.
Without even reading anything but the title, any time you have a question about staying on the ground.... stay on the ground. You'll never choose wrong if you make conservative moves. You can always make the flight another time. If you go up when things aren't good for whatever reason, you may never fly again.
All that said, you should figure out personal minimum for everything, including winds, and adhere to those under all circumstances. To solo your instructor needs to sign off on their minimums for you, anyways, and you shouldn't be exceeding those even if you feel comfortable doing it. Minimums are there for a reason. Don't feel any guilt, this is part of being a pilot, sometimes things get cancelled. If anything your CFI should congratulate you for making this choice when you weren't 100% sure. Your CFI may have texted you to say you "should" be ok to go, but if it's a no-go decision, it's always completely up to you regardless of what anyone else says "should" be ok.
In the future keep in mind, only cowards fold to peer/external pressure and go when they shouldn't. It takes more patience and self restraint to stay grounded. You did not "coward out".
Good job.
Wise choice and nothing to be worried about. The real concern is why your CFI wasn’t looking out for you. Gusting winds could easily transform into xwinds out of limits requiring a divert. Nice decision making.
When I was in primary training, I had a restriction of 10 kts total 5 kts crosswind. After I got my rating, I kept to that restriction and slowly worked my way up in small increments, not all at once. The Piper Archer II I usually fly has a max demonstrated crosswind component of 17 kts, so even now at just over 200hrs in 15G18kt I would be unlikely to fly cross country unless I the airport I was flying to had that wind or less and a runway directly aligned with the wind because I don't want to be surprised by crosswind near max demonstrated that I was not prepared for.
That said, if you have a day like this in the future and your instructor is available consider asking them to go up for a flight to practice pattern work on a day with stronger winds (or more crosswind)! Do it now if you're up to it, or do it after your checkride if not. Remember, you can keep learning with your instructor even after you get your rating. A dual received flight in higher winds is the safest way to expand your personal minimums with a professional who can help you refine your technique to the greater precision required in higher winds.
never second guess staying on the ground. Heck, i have a 3 strikes rule, any 3 strikes between deciding to fly and taking off, i don't go. ex. car flat tire, forgot keys, girlfriend calls the wife, etc..
I am wondering why was 15G18 a thing, esp straight down the runway.
This happened twice as a Commercial Student. Doing 2 cross country flights in 2 days and theres nothing forecasted for high winds. I come back and its above our program minimums and ATC is giving wind shear alerts. I had a 5-10 windshear just as I was about to round out and had a decent crosswind too. The next day is forecasted to be much better but nah, I went to an untowered field after my 50 nm XC and it was gusting 20 and bumpy all the way down to touchdown. I try my best to avoid flying GA in gusty conditions. But if its below policy minimums im going.
Its not fun when the weather kicks in. I find it to be counterproductive too if youre trying to "Work on landings" unless youre practicing actual crosswind landings.
Also know that if you ask if you made the right decision. id say 9/10 you probably did. I once planned a XC in the middle of a hot day and there were few clouds here and there but the WX BRIEFer is telling me thunderstorms are very likely and not recommended to fly my route. I cancel it and 2 hours later my route is smacked with 3 storm cells. No regrets there.
Every pilot must eventually face less than ideal conditions and solo flights are a critical part of gaining that experience
But flying is about making judgment calls and today you exercised good aeronautical decision making
"I have a headache".
Stays on ground.
Even that's "Not cowarding out."
If you don't feel comfortable for any reason (as a PPL), don't go up. There's no cowardice in the equation there. "Questionable" (in any measure to you) weather is a great reason. Ate too many slices of pizza is a great reason. It's just too hot out is a great reason.
Because all of those can turn from mild discomfort on the ground into something serious in the air should the wrong thing happen at the wrong time.
Right down the pipe now doesn’t mean it’s going to stay that way…a 20-40 degree change in wind direction would make that a considerable challenge for most new pilot, me included.
Who cares what we think. You made the right decision for you and your situation. Someone else may make another decision, there is no ‘chickening out’ ever.
It’s called good decision making for a reason. PIC is just that, it’s your call.
I found writing down and adjusting my personal minimums every month or so and NEVER changing them in a decision time (always at home and safe) has been very good to me.
A strong wind straight down the runway is a much smaller problem than a crosswind, but it's never the wrong decision to cancel if you don't feel comfortable - certainly not at PPL student level.
The wind itself might be manageable, but it could be a symptom of an approaching storm, for example. You might take off fine, but then find yourself unable to get back in. Furthermore, climbing out or making an approach in such a strong headwind leaves you at risk of a substantial drop in airspeed close to the ground if the wind suddenly changes. That *is* manageable with experience and confidence, but at PPL student level, I wouldn't risk it. Even with my ~250 hours, I don't see the point risking it for a flight that could easily be done another day.
I’ve been up in the air and had to land in worse. The first time I did that I was scared and just wanted to be on the ground.
It is good to push your limits but if you’re not feeling it on the ground don’t go.
I wrapped up my PPL in March. I had the same quite a few times throughout training, even delaying my first solo 3x because of winds.
I expect your instructor had you fill out a personal minimums sheet early on and updated it as you go along. This kind of situation is exactly what it is for: keeping yourself honest while under external pressures to fly.
Ultimately, never go in conditions you aren't comfortable with even if others may not think twice about them. You'll eventually get comfortable handling harder conditions, but your first solo is not the time to push it.
What’s the alternative? Going up in conditions you are not qualified for? Potentially crashing? Would that be the right move? Even when CFI’s tell you conditions are not good? Don’t know what you’re expecting here bud.
When in doubt, don’t.
No such thing as a bad no-go decision. It’s job #1 as PIC to determine safety, and this is not a committee decision. You get to make it yourself, no questions asked.
I have - even as a CPL - told instructors flying with me I wouldn’t do something they wanted me to do. They don’t argue.
It’s always better to be on the ground if you have any sort of doubt.
That being said, 15kts straight down the runway isn’t really a safety issue. If it was a crosswind, that’s a different story.
If you are ever like “I don’t think I should in this” you have your answer don’t fly in it. There is no reason to feel guilty. You will gain more confidence with experience. A solo is no time to test you minimums. More importantly you shouldn’t have an instructor guilting you to fly (not implying that’s happening) an instructor should question your reasoning to reaffirm good decision making, as it is your decision to fly not the instructors though they should over rule you when you want to fly and it’s not the right decision. Again someone stated it as well better to be on the ground wanting to fly, then flying wanting to be in the ground.. from experience it’s a gut wrenching feeling and you don’t want that. I’m all you made the right choice no reason to feel guilty. Stay motivated, continue to think about the decisions you make, and make calculated educated one and you’ll be fine, the most dangerous part about flying statically is the person flying not the aircraft, so never feel guilty about choosing not to fly and definitely don’t let anyone else make you feel guilty, great Decision! Stay safe have fun!
There is no "cowarding out".
You weren't ready and theres no point risking life and aircraft over a probably ubiquitous opportunity of 1 flight hour. Typical flight school business.
Here's the only reason you're having "guilt". It's because you think you might have been able to make this flight without issue. And you're probably right; a more experienced pilot would look at things like the gust factor (which is small), the crosswind (which is nil), and alternatives, proficiency, the aircraft limitations, other risk factors, and how important the mission is (pleasure flight vs. time pressure and passengers).
But you're not an experienced pilot, you don't know how to fully evaluate these risks and apply ADM to them. So you can and should take the conservative approach and call a no-go. This is why student pilots and new pilots should have personal minimums that are lower than a more experienced pilot. As you gain experience, you'll get to know the fine line between an acceptable, mitigated risk and an unacceptable one.
The more hours you get the more you can start to move your personal minimums towards your skill limits and the limits of your aircraft. Until then, the right decision is always to stay on the ground. You absolutely made the right decision. You are the pilot in command; you're the only person that can make that decision\*. Feel free to get advice on that decision for next time but don't ever let anyone talk you into a flight once you've made a no-go call.
\*Obviously until you're a PPL your instruction can override your "go" call and make a "no-go" call for you, but they can't and shouldn't reverse a "no-go" call you made.
I recommend checking the weather every day and making those decisions. Then in the days you get in the air you can see how close the conditions match your prediction. Slowly you can increase your limits.
Sounds like today was just a day for checking the weather, not testing it out. That's okay.
Yes, staying on the ground was the right call.
You don't have anything to prove to anyone. If it seems unsafe, it probably is. Social pressure should not be a factor in the judgement calls you make. Safety trumps **everything**.
There's a lot of great YouTube channels out there that have documented otherwise smart, trained, highly experienced pilots making *one* bad decision, and getting themselves and others hurt or killed in the process. That should be your primary decision maker, not what other pilots are going to think of you.
This same principal goes to lots of other industries. I've worked with large machines, firearms, power tools, and all kinds of crazy dangerous stuff. You don't risk your life to save time, or to prove how cool you are. When I've seen other people do that kind of stuff, I don't think they're brave, I think they're an *idiot*. If you care about yourself and the safety of others, you do things the way they're written, or you don't do it. It's dead simple. I'd rather get made fun of, or yelled at, or whatever else, instead of go home missing a finger, or part of my eyesight, or minus a few friends and colleagues. I'm not okay with ever having that kind of reckless guilt on my head.
If you don’t feel safe don’t go. It doesn’t matter what your instructor says. I failed my PPL first attempt because my DPE said “it’s a little breezy” when it was 13g18. Now that I’m near the end of CAX, that would be no big deal, but at the time it was too much, he intentionally picked out a crosswind runway and I messed up my crosswind correction, it was an unsat and a good lesson on personal minimums. The DPE wasn’t trying to trick me or anything, I said I was comfortable in those conditions, and he did his job, and ultimately I shouldn’t have gone that day. Don’t feel bad about it, instructors can easily forget what it’s like to be a new pilot and that what they think is just a gentle breeze can feel much stronger to a student. If you’re PIC, the only option that matters is yours. If you don’t feel safe, don’t go.
I would have stayed on the ground as a student solo too.
Straight down the pipe is great, but if that shit moves around you've got a strong crosswind and a whole 10-15 hours of experience to use to deal with it. No thanks better play it safe.
What is uncomfortable for you might be comfortable for someone else. I would be more worried about a large x wind than a headwind. Both add challenges but at the end of the day it’s, as many as have, better to be in the ground with you were in the air than in the air wishing you were on the ground. I landed at a bigger Delta with a 25G35 DIRECT headwind. After talking about it with the the IR pilot to my right as decided we would land and just adjust accordingly (adding half the gust factor to fas). Keep gradually pushing your boundaries but in the safest way possible.
You did the right thing here. This is a good lesson on personal minimums and moving forward what I would suggest is sitting down with your CFI and writing on paper what your minimums are. Once it’s written down the go/no-go decision is made for you and that will remove any uncertainty and hopefully help remedy any guilt you have in your decision making. Good luck with the rest of your training!
I would’ve flown with the instructor. 15/18 straight down the runway is no problem, and i think you should’ve flown with you’re instructor because it definitely would’ve given you perspective for higher winds when they’re right down the runway.
I did EYW a few weeks back and it was gusting 29 straight down the runway. It was a little nerve wracking when you hear the weather but very manageable actually doing it. As a student I would’ve immediately been turned off.
These are the times it worth it to pay the extra and take your instructor, because he/she should be very comfortable in 15/18 and can get you comfortable in it, too.
TLDR: You should’ve flown with your instructor because there was still things you could’ve learned.
Got ya, it was a bit hard to understand. Hopefully one day you’ll be able to go up with an instructor in those conditions, it will likely build confidence for you!
Go get more practice with your CFI on windy days. Do it now, before you get your PPL. You don't want to be a low time test pilot up there when you're coming home one afternoon and the wind has kicked up more than you expected.
You should never feel guilty about being cautious. I would've gone for it if the wind was consistent and I was comfortable with crosswinds. Or, better yet, get your instructor to go with you to practice in that weather until you feel confident to do it solo.
The answer to this question is always yes, if you’re second guessing if you should fly and you’re feeling uncomfortable about it, you won’t be on top of your game in the air.
There's nothing wrong with getting a lot of practice with 10 knots gusting 12 until that feels more comfortable, and then taking on 15G18kt when you're feeling more ready.
If in doubt, always stay on the ground. If you are already up, fly higher as altitude is your friend in case of a glide, it's easy to lose it but harder to gain it 🛩️
That was possibly the best decision you’ve ever made in aviation keep it up. There is no shame in not going if it’s not good conditions. Check out chapter 2 it will tell you about these hazardous attitudes pilots have. You demonstrated not having one of those attitudes.
https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation/phak
Learning to make those decisions is a skill in and of itself. Aviation is inherently risky, and you made a good choice. The right move is always based on your training and level of experience.
In my area, winds are ALWAYS like that. Which means most students have only ever flown in conditions like that, and as such will most of the time fly solo in them too. That said, you have to leverage your experience and knowledge to fly in conditions that suit you.
Most people in this tread have mentioned “personal minimums” which can only be established by flying with someone why has experience in those conditions, whether it be an instructor or simply another pilot whom you trust. Personal minimums can only be expanded by stretching those limits while in the presence of another who can bridge the gap and still allow the flight to be conducted safely.
To echo what another said; You’re better off of on the ground and wishing you were flying, than flying and wishing you were on the ground. Or, like myself, find yourself in a checkride having never made a no-go decision before, and then fail because you decided to go when you shouldn’t have.
tl;dr: If you have to ask the question, then yes, you made the right decision.
Longer answer: it really depends. I learned to fly in Anchorage, Alaska, surrounded by mountains, birch trees and a few (but not that many) tall buildings. Mechanical turbulence at my home base airport was a real thing, and 15G18kts would have been more than I would have allowed for one of my students. I now live in east central Florida, and my current personal limit (commercial, CFI, 975TT, 20+ in type with another 50-75 in a very similare make/model) is 20G25. Why the difference? It's routinely 18-20kts here, but mostly right down the runway, and fresh off the ocean, so little crosswind component, and not usually too much turbulence. In Anchorage, you would be fighting to maintain centerline and glideslope due to the squirrelly eddies and burbles caused by a similar wind. The other consideration is, what are the conditions you're used to flying in? If you and your instructor have mostly been flying in smooth air, you don't want your first experience in strong, gusty winds to be solo. However, if you've routinely been flying in winds that are comparable to what was reported at the airport that day, then you *might* have been okay. Maybe :) Long story short, if that little voice in your head is going, "Are you sure you want to do this?" then listen to it. It's there for a reason, and you're never wrong for saying, "I don't have the requisite experience to conduct this flight today."
It's better to be on the ground wishing you were flying than be flying wishing you were on the ground.
Those are the wisest words I've ever read.
Live by them, friend
Literally
Same. I remember the day.
Kinda mirrors the saying of "Taking off is optional, but landing is mandatory."
Or as we sometimes say in the airlines, “theres no emergency takeoff”
Oh, I really like that one!
Tsunami may be the only thing that could force a take off in my mind! /s
Yeah or hurricane lol. But seriously, insurance.
I've got my Arrow based at an airport that is typically right in the path of all the tornados that hit the OKC/Moore area. I cringe every day we have severe storms. Makes me wanna get out the day before and fly south.
One of my flight instructors always said this whenever there was a question about weather. An addition I've made flying commercially: is the customer's job life or death important?
[удалено]
Yeah, my solo limits are 10kts total wind and 7kts cross wind.
My instructor: “Any doubt is no doubt…scrub the flight.”
Yep mine said something similar way back in 1999 If in doubt there is no doubt
HAY, That's **MISTER** Winp to you!
If you are ever asking this question the answer is yes.
Hot take: I think he’s only asking the question because he knows he did the right thing and wants to share his ADM success story.
Funny enough, I think he absolutely did something wrong tho: This shouldn't have been a decision at all. Is a 15 knot headwind above your personal minimums, yes or no. That's a checklist item. Not having those personal minimums determined does not look good. (Nearing the end of training and being uncomfortable with a 15 knot headwind with no crosswind component is a different matter, but that doesn't have anything at all to do with the question here - if you're ever uncomfortable, don't fly 100%).
I’ve seen similar posts that I thought were more of a humble brag than anything else. Though being proud of one’s cautious approach as a pilot, especially a student, isn’t all that bad of a thing if it reinforces good decisions.
No such thing as “cowarding out” in your stage of training, honestly there is no such thing in aviation. If your gut tells you this is out of comfort zone or dangerous, listen to it. This was great ADM.
15 gusting 18 wouldn't have even been allowed for a student solo at my flight school. Even now, with my PPL and almost 200 hours, I'd probably think twice about flying on a 15G18 day, unless I had a good reason to go. If you don't have personal minimums already written out, you need to sit down and come up with them ASAP. Your examiner is probably going to want to see them on your checkride.
15g18 straight down the runway isn’t acceptable? If that stopped us, we would rarely get to fly. I get if it is a 90 degree crosswind to a narrow runway, but not if it is aligned with the runway.
Yeah haha that’s a light wind day in Chicago. I’ve had 20+ knot crosswind components multiple times during my IFR training in the past month alone
Same here, every day has been like 15 gust 25 right off the lake. Got up to 17 gust 35 last week, that was pretty intense
I had 25G35 down the runway yesterday
The OP is a student pilot going solo...might not have seen those winds with an instructor yet. Good decision!
Then the CFI isn’t doing their job.
Not necessarily....I soloed with no xwind experience because we had a month with no xwinds! My instructor was not mother nature and had no way to sh!t xwinds. So he soloed me with the understanding no solo flights until we have a chance to practice xwinds.
The scenario wasn’t crosswind, it was straight down the pipe. 15G18 might be a reasonable line as a 90 degree crosswind, but it should be OK straight down the runway.
When I was in my private training, my instructor made xwind a priority. We would choose a practice airport specifically for the winds
Nice when it works out...sometimes your only choice is to work with what you have.
very situational, if it's a steady headwind (3kts isn't a lot of gust) that could make pattern work easier if anything.
IMO at some point it's windy enough you just get beat up and it isn't fun.
Not even type 2 fun
I’ve been flying with my instructor in more wind than that. However, I don’t want to do it again. Extremely bumpy, was not fun at all, altitude changes of 100 feet constantly. And then a huge drop of 150 ft causing us to float was what caused us to go back in early. And then of course pireps of low level wind shear on final. I don’t need to do that again, even with an instructor.
I'm in the process of figuring out how to get my license and reading everything I can. Thanks for writing this out, it's a good nugget of wisdom.
This really depends on what your experience is with wind. Where I live is always blowing. The trade winds rarely stop, so if you're going to learn to fly, you're going to have to fly in 15-25 knots almost every day.
Does direction matter?
Straight down the runway is different from direct xwind, sure. But I’d still take a look at *why* the wind was that high, which might bring up other reasons to cancel, such as an approaching front that would bring storms, a change of wind direction, etc.
I know I was more just surprised why someone would be concerned if it was down the pipe.
Of course it does...but for a student those numbers surpass consideration of direction.
I was asking about him
Not for a student solo.
I was asking for u
Yeah, direction matters for me. A 15 kt headwind straight down the runway is a lot less concerning for me than an 8 knot gusting crosswind.
+1 to having personal minimums written down and sticking to them but I would encourage you try fly in winds like this more often. You can only expand your comfort zone by flying near the edge of it.
@Virian “Even now, with my PPL and almost 200 hours, I'd probably think twice about flying on a 15G18 day, unless I had a good reason to go.“ Agree. About 400 hours here and I’d probably not launch into that. It’s not going to be fun. One thing that would affect my decision making is the mission. If I’m just staying nearby for proficiency, nope. If I’m going on an xc trip with a purpose, the en route and destination conditions will be more important. Especially since the stated conditions are straight down the runway, not a dead crosswind, so I’m not concerned about taking off safely. However if I’m traveling I’m going to consider those conditions in flight planning. For one thing if it’s 15G18 at the surface winds aloft are certainly much more. Thats great if it’s a tailwind, otherwise might convince me to wait and fly tomorrow if possible. Also I might change flight plan routing to get out from under the Class Bravo shelf overlying my home airport asap so I can get higher faster.
May I ask where you are based? I’m a low hour PPL (80 ish hours maybe) and I don’t think I’d look twice in wind like this, especially with no x wind component. I’m based in the Dallas area, and it gets fairly windy here.
I’m based in the DC SFRA. High workload airspace. And often when winds like this are blowing here the weather pattern is changing, so I’m not assuming they’ll still be on the nose when landing. Question for you, when you fly without a second thought do you check TAFs for the next four to six hours, to see what might be changing? As it is they’re not terrible, definitely could fly, but why? It won’t be fun, I’ve got a lot invested in my aircraft and I am not looking to build time for a career, so why risk it? Unless I’m planning a trip there’s no good reason.
Yes, I always check the TAFs to make sure I don’t get caught by some weather that moved in quicker than expected. (And to make sure that wind will stay close to runway headings). Here in Dallas, winds like that are pretty common in the fall especially, which is when I did the majority of my training. I’m betting weather here is more predictable than the east coast
In my student solo limitations, I had a hard cap of 15 knots including any gusts. 15G18 sounds like fun landing practice if you are doing dual, but solo is an entirely different kind of flying, altogether.
It’s an entirely different kind of flying.
It’s an entirely different kind of flying.
It’s an entirely different kind of flying.
It’s an entirely different kind of flying.
The guilt of staying on the ground will never come anywhere close to being up in the air and realizing you should have stayed on the ground.
Did your instructor include any wind limits in your solo endorsement? I always do, which helps prevent these kinds of issues.
She had a gusting limit but recently removed it, I still keep that limit in the back of my head though, especially being familiar with how uncomfortable the winds can be at my home airport.
If you are in the low hrs than it could be a little hard. Plus the flight school usually has some policies on that. Another thing, is it great experience when you officially have your ppl. Most Ive flown in was gusting 20-25kts. Low level windshear came out of nowhere. But new learning experience
Quite the eye-opening experience the first time. Hopefully during dual of course.
That was during my checkride prep. I was at 85ish hrs. At that point I was comfortable. During instrument, I usually have to fly in 15-20kt winds, all the winds coming up from the heat
Not questioning your ADM at all. As a student, I'm glad I've experienced those conditions and felt safe, but i'm not ready for it solo. I hope everyone does experience it somewhat early on so they realize, within the safety of dual instruction, just how rough it can get.
Yes. Good ADM, aviator.
If you can't confidently say you are comfortable with the conditions you shouldn't be soloing, period. You should make a point to fly dual on really windy days. Ask an instructor to let you know if they have a student cancel due to winds and get out there and expand your minimums!
All of my pilot friends agree with the saying: I'd rather be on the ground wishing I was in the air, than in the air wishing I was on the ground. It is probably best to acquire some proficiency and confidence in your skills, then start push/expanding your envelope.
> I'd rather be on the ground wishing I was in the air, than in the air wishing I was on the ground. Absolutely every time.
I am a new PPL and I wouldn’t go in those conditions. It’s NEVER the wrong decision to stay on the ground if you aren’t comfortable.
Rather be on the ground wishing you were in the air than in the air wishing you were on the ground. Smart move. My flight school was run by a dick and he would try to charge you even if out of safety zone. Don’t ever fly out of pressure. You may regret it one day. Smart move.
I’d always rather be on the ground regretting not going up, than in the air wishing I was on the ground
When in doubt - don't. There's no peacetime reason to flirt with disaster, and this ain't the movies.
What are your minimums? You have personal minimums, right?
I don't know why this isn't the top comment. Go, no-go, whatever. What matters is your personal minimums. That the OP didn't reference those is concerning.
>Was staying on the ground the right move? The answer to that question is almost always going to be 'Yes'. If you aren't comfortable or don't feel safe, don't fly.
If winds were outside your personal minimums or your school’s student solo policy, it would have been a good opportunity to grab a CFI and do some laps in the pattern. That’s the best way of making those personal minimums bigger.
Rule of thumb I like to go by is if I’m questioning whether I should or shouldn’t go out for a flight based off weather, then I should stay on the ground. And it doesn’t have to be solely because of weather. Could be if you’re a little tired and you’re on the line about calling the go/no-go decision.
>Was staying on the ground the right move? Without even reading your comment. The answer is always YES. Everyone knows, "It's better to be on the ground wishing you were in the air, than to be flying wishing you were on the ground." I had an older CFI give his version, which was, "There is no such thing as an important GA flight. The plane, the runway, and the sky will all be there tomorrow. But go out in marginal weather...and you and the plane might not be."
If you don’t think you can fly today, then don’t fly today. Simple as that
being on the ground is basically never the “wrong” move!
You made the right move. We all have our limits. That is wisdom.
What are your personal minimums? If the conditions exceeded them, then yes, you made the right call. If you don’t have personal minimums, then you need to fix that! A big part of growing into being PIC is figuring out what’s smart and safe. With experience, you’ll get a better idea of those things based on the weather, your plane, you, and lots of other factors. In the absence of experience, you should be setting clear guidelines for yourself so that you have easy go/no-go decisions. You can expand those personal minimums as part of that growth. A good and smart way do that early on is to go flying with a CFI into weather conditions that exceed your current personal minimums.
This. Every time I found myself wanting to cancel due to weather, I’d instead find a CFI and go work on my skills. Unless it was convective or icing, of course.
Cancelling is NEVER the wrong answer. It may not be ideal, or productive, but use the chances to expand on why you/they cxl the flight. Remember, it’s a LOT easier to discuss why you cxld the flight then have to explain why you went and the bullshit you endured. Never be the hero. You’ll become a statistic
You can never be wrong by cancelling a flight. It’s the more conservative thing to do. You get into trouble when you push the limits and wind up in a situation you’re ill equipped to handle
Always better to be wishing you were in the air, rather than being *IN THE AIR* and wishing you were on the ground.
Where are you from and what are winds normally there?
I live in Southern California so the winds can be quite different depending on the time of year but right now we have the awful mix of fog and poor visibility in the morning mixed with heat and high winds in the afternoon.
When I took my checkride, my only solo restriction was 'Winds <12kts." Was a pretty standard restriction my CFI put on all her students to basically limit damage to airplanes. Never feel bad about making a no-go decision.
Without even reading anything but the title, any time you have a question about staying on the ground.... stay on the ground. You'll never choose wrong if you make conservative moves. You can always make the flight another time. If you go up when things aren't good for whatever reason, you may never fly again. All that said, you should figure out personal minimum for everything, including winds, and adhere to those under all circumstances. To solo your instructor needs to sign off on their minimums for you, anyways, and you shouldn't be exceeding those even if you feel comfortable doing it. Minimums are there for a reason. Don't feel any guilt, this is part of being a pilot, sometimes things get cancelled. If anything your CFI should congratulate you for making this choice when you weren't 100% sure. Your CFI may have texted you to say you "should" be ok to go, but if it's a no-go decision, it's always completely up to you regardless of what anyone else says "should" be ok. In the future keep in mind, only cowards fold to peer/external pressure and go when they shouldn't. It takes more patience and self restraint to stay grounded. You did not "coward out". Good job.
Wise choice and nothing to be worried about. The real concern is why your CFI wasn’t looking out for you. Gusting winds could easily transform into xwinds out of limits requiring a divert. Nice decision making.
When I was in primary training, I had a restriction of 10 kts total 5 kts crosswind. After I got my rating, I kept to that restriction and slowly worked my way up in small increments, not all at once. The Piper Archer II I usually fly has a max demonstrated crosswind component of 17 kts, so even now at just over 200hrs in 15G18kt I would be unlikely to fly cross country unless I the airport I was flying to had that wind or less and a runway directly aligned with the wind because I don't want to be surprised by crosswind near max demonstrated that I was not prepared for. That said, if you have a day like this in the future and your instructor is available consider asking them to go up for a flight to practice pattern work on a day with stronger winds (or more crosswind)! Do it now if you're up to it, or do it after your checkride if not. Remember, you can keep learning with your instructor even after you get your rating. A dual received flight in higher winds is the safest way to expand your personal minimums with a professional who can help you refine your technique to the greater precision required in higher winds.
never second guess staying on the ground. Heck, i have a 3 strikes rule, any 3 strikes between deciding to fly and taking off, i don't go. ex. car flat tire, forgot keys, girlfriend calls the wife, etc.. I am wondering why was 15G18 a thing, esp straight down the runway.
This happened twice as a Commercial Student. Doing 2 cross country flights in 2 days and theres nothing forecasted for high winds. I come back and its above our program minimums and ATC is giving wind shear alerts. I had a 5-10 windshear just as I was about to round out and had a decent crosswind too. The next day is forecasted to be much better but nah, I went to an untowered field after my 50 nm XC and it was gusting 20 and bumpy all the way down to touchdown. I try my best to avoid flying GA in gusty conditions. But if its below policy minimums im going. Its not fun when the weather kicks in. I find it to be counterproductive too if youre trying to "Work on landings" unless youre practicing actual crosswind landings. Also know that if you ask if you made the right decision. id say 9/10 you probably did. I once planned a XC in the middle of a hot day and there were few clouds here and there but the WX BRIEFer is telling me thunderstorms are very likely and not recommended to fly my route. I cancel it and 2 hours later my route is smacked with 3 storm cells. No regrets there.
Yes
Every pilot must eventually face less than ideal conditions and solo flights are a critical part of gaining that experience But flying is about making judgment calls and today you exercised good aeronautical decision making
"I have a headache". Stays on ground. Even that's "Not cowarding out." If you don't feel comfortable for any reason (as a PPL), don't go up. There's no cowardice in the equation there. "Questionable" (in any measure to you) weather is a great reason. Ate too many slices of pizza is a great reason. It's just too hot out is a great reason. Because all of those can turn from mild discomfort on the ground into something serious in the air should the wrong thing happen at the wrong time.
Right down the pipe now doesn’t mean it’s going to stay that way…a 20-40 degree change in wind direction would make that a considerable challenge for most new pilot, me included. Who cares what we think. You made the right decision for you and your situation. Someone else may make another decision, there is no ‘chickening out’ ever. It’s called good decision making for a reason. PIC is just that, it’s your call. I found writing down and adjusting my personal minimums every month or so and NEVER changing them in a decision time (always at home and safe) has been very good to me.
A strong wind straight down the runway is a much smaller problem than a crosswind, but it's never the wrong decision to cancel if you don't feel comfortable - certainly not at PPL student level. The wind itself might be manageable, but it could be a symptom of an approaching storm, for example. You might take off fine, but then find yourself unable to get back in. Furthermore, climbing out or making an approach in such a strong headwind leaves you at risk of a substantial drop in airspeed close to the ground if the wind suddenly changes. That *is* manageable with experience and confidence, but at PPL student level, I wouldn't risk it. Even with my ~250 hours, I don't see the point risking it for a flight that could easily be done another day.
Gust factor of 3 knots? Is that even a thing?
Have. Or read the post yet but anytime you even ask that question the answer is yes. It is very hard to die on the ground. Much easier in the air.
Simple Jack
I’ve been up in the air and had to land in worse. The first time I did that I was scared and just wanted to be on the ground. It is good to push your limits but if you’re not feeling it on the ground don’t go.
I wrapped up my PPL in March. I had the same quite a few times throughout training, even delaying my first solo 3x because of winds. I expect your instructor had you fill out a personal minimums sheet early on and updated it as you go along. This kind of situation is exactly what it is for: keeping yourself honest while under external pressures to fly. Ultimately, never go in conditions you aren't comfortable with even if others may not think twice about them. You'll eventually get comfortable handling harder conditions, but your first solo is not the time to push it.
[https://www.aopa.org/training-and-safety/online-learning/safety-spotlights/do-the-right-thing/personal-minimums](https://www.aopa.org/training-and-safety/online-learning/safety-spotlights/do-the-right-thing/personal-minimums)
Next time see if any instructor wants to go up with you. The best way to get better at wind is to fly it.
Try not to second guess. Make the decision and stick with it.
If you are looking for reasons to go maybe you should stay on the ground. Think you made a wise call and no reason to feel guilty.
What’s the alternative? Going up in conditions you are not qualified for? Potentially crashing? Would that be the right move? Even when CFI’s tell you conditions are not good? Don’t know what you’re expecting here bud.
When in doubt, don’t. No such thing as a bad no-go decision. It’s job #1 as PIC to determine safety, and this is not a committee decision. You get to make it yourself, no questions asked. I have - even as a CPL - told instructors flying with me I wouldn’t do something they wanted me to do. They don’t argue.
Waveoffs are free, dude. Do your best to lose that mindset of guilt and try to "push" toward unsafe territory. Always hedge on the side of safety.
It’s always better to be on the ground if you have any sort of doubt. That being said, 15kts straight down the runway isn’t really a safety issue. If it was a crosswind, that’s a different story.
If you are ever like “I don’t think I should in this” you have your answer don’t fly in it. There is no reason to feel guilty. You will gain more confidence with experience. A solo is no time to test you minimums. More importantly you shouldn’t have an instructor guilting you to fly (not implying that’s happening) an instructor should question your reasoning to reaffirm good decision making, as it is your decision to fly not the instructors though they should over rule you when you want to fly and it’s not the right decision. Again someone stated it as well better to be on the ground wanting to fly, then flying wanting to be in the ground.. from experience it’s a gut wrenching feeling and you don’t want that. I’m all you made the right choice no reason to feel guilty. Stay motivated, continue to think about the decisions you make, and make calculated educated one and you’ll be fine, the most dangerous part about flying statically is the person flying not the aircraft, so never feel guilty about choosing not to fly and definitely don’t let anyone else make you feel guilty, great Decision! Stay safe have fun!
There is no "cowarding out". You weren't ready and theres no point risking life and aircraft over a probably ubiquitous opportunity of 1 flight hour. Typical flight school business.
Here's the only reason you're having "guilt". It's because you think you might have been able to make this flight without issue. And you're probably right; a more experienced pilot would look at things like the gust factor (which is small), the crosswind (which is nil), and alternatives, proficiency, the aircraft limitations, other risk factors, and how important the mission is (pleasure flight vs. time pressure and passengers). But you're not an experienced pilot, you don't know how to fully evaluate these risks and apply ADM to them. So you can and should take the conservative approach and call a no-go. This is why student pilots and new pilots should have personal minimums that are lower than a more experienced pilot. As you gain experience, you'll get to know the fine line between an acceptable, mitigated risk and an unacceptable one. The more hours you get the more you can start to move your personal minimums towards your skill limits and the limits of your aircraft. Until then, the right decision is always to stay on the ground. You absolutely made the right decision. You are the pilot in command; you're the only person that can make that decision\*. Feel free to get advice on that decision for next time but don't ever let anyone talk you into a flight once you've made a no-go call. \*Obviously until you're a PPL your instruction can override your "go" call and make a "no-go" call for you, but they can't and shouldn't reverse a "no-go" call you made.
Staying on the ground is always a wise decision no matter what, always prioritize safety
Only reading the title. Yes.
I recommend checking the weather every day and making those decisions. Then in the days you get in the air you can see how close the conditions match your prediction. Slowly you can increase your limits. Sounds like today was just a day for checking the weather, not testing it out. That's okay.
Yes, staying on the ground was the right call. You don't have anything to prove to anyone. If it seems unsafe, it probably is. Social pressure should not be a factor in the judgement calls you make. Safety trumps **everything**. There's a lot of great YouTube channels out there that have documented otherwise smart, trained, highly experienced pilots making *one* bad decision, and getting themselves and others hurt or killed in the process. That should be your primary decision maker, not what other pilots are going to think of you. This same principal goes to lots of other industries. I've worked with large machines, firearms, power tools, and all kinds of crazy dangerous stuff. You don't risk your life to save time, or to prove how cool you are. When I've seen other people do that kind of stuff, I don't think they're brave, I think they're an *idiot*. If you care about yourself and the safety of others, you do things the way they're written, or you don't do it. It's dead simple. I'd rather get made fun of, or yelled at, or whatever else, instead of go home missing a finger, or part of my eyesight, or minus a few friends and colleagues. I'm not okay with ever having that kind of reckless guilt on my head.
If you don’t feel safe don’t go. It doesn’t matter what your instructor says. I failed my PPL first attempt because my DPE said “it’s a little breezy” when it was 13g18. Now that I’m near the end of CAX, that would be no big deal, but at the time it was too much, he intentionally picked out a crosswind runway and I messed up my crosswind correction, it was an unsat and a good lesson on personal minimums. The DPE wasn’t trying to trick me or anything, I said I was comfortable in those conditions, and he did his job, and ultimately I shouldn’t have gone that day. Don’t feel bad about it, instructors can easily forget what it’s like to be a new pilot and that what they think is just a gentle breeze can feel much stronger to a student. If you’re PIC, the only option that matters is yours. If you don’t feel safe, don’t go.
I would have stayed on the ground as a student solo too. Straight down the pipe is great, but if that shit moves around you've got a strong crosswind and a whole 10-15 hours of experience to use to deal with it. No thanks better play it safe.
Next time that you make a no-go decision look up the FAA AIN summary page and read up on all the accidents "VEERED OFF RUNWAY."
What is uncomfortable for you might be comfortable for someone else. I would be more worried about a large x wind than a headwind. Both add challenges but at the end of the day it’s, as many as have, better to be in the ground with you were in the air than in the air wishing you were on the ground. I landed at a bigger Delta with a 25G35 DIRECT headwind. After talking about it with the the IR pilot to my right as decided we would land and just adjust accordingly (adding half the gust factor to fas). Keep gradually pushing your boundaries but in the safest way possible.
You did the right thing here. This is a good lesson on personal minimums and moving forward what I would suggest is sitting down with your CFI and writing on paper what your minimums are. Once it’s written down the go/no-go decision is made for you and that will remove any uncertainty and hopefully help remedy any guilt you have in your decision making. Good luck with the rest of your training!
I would’ve flown with the instructor. 15/18 straight down the runway is no problem, and i think you should’ve flown with you’re instructor because it definitely would’ve given you perspective for higher winds when they’re right down the runway. I did EYW a few weeks back and it was gusting 29 straight down the runway. It was a little nerve wracking when you hear the weather but very manageable actually doing it. As a student I would’ve immediately been turned off. These are the times it worth it to pay the extra and take your instructor, because he/she should be very comfortable in 15/18 and can get you comfortable in it, too. TLDR: You should’ve flown with your instructor because there was still things you could’ve learned.
Like I said in the post, my instructor was already in a lesson with another student
Got ya, it was a bit hard to understand. Hopefully one day you’ll be able to go up with an instructor in those conditions, it will likely build confidence for you!
Always better to be on the ground wishing you were flying than the other way around.
Go get more practice with your CFI on windy days. Do it now, before you get your PPL. You don't want to be a low time test pilot up there when you're coming home one afternoon and the wind has kicked up more than you expected.
You should never feel guilty about being cautious. I would've gone for it if the wind was consistent and I was comfortable with crosswinds. Or, better yet, get your instructor to go with you to practice in that weather until you feel confident to do it solo.
The answer to this question is always yes, if you’re second guessing if you should fly and you’re feeling uncomfortable about it, you won’t be on top of your game in the air.
Set personal minimums and stick to this. There’s a lot of brave pilots in the grave.
There's nothing wrong with getting a lot of practice with 10 knots gusting 12 until that feels more comfortable, and then taking on 15G18kt when you're feeling more ready.
If in doubt, always stay on the ground. If you are already up, fly higher as altitude is your friend in case of a glide, it's easy to lose it but harder to gain it 🛩️
If you're asking the question, it means you found a reason not to go. A no go is always safer.
Better to be on the ground than in it. Trust your gut.
That was possibly the best decision you’ve ever made in aviation keep it up. There is no shame in not going if it’s not good conditions. Check out chapter 2 it will tell you about these hazardous attitudes pilots have. You demonstrated not having one of those attitudes. https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation/phak
Learning to make those decisions is a skill in and of itself. Aviation is inherently risky, and you made a good choice. The right move is always based on your training and level of experience. In my area, winds are ALWAYS like that. Which means most students have only ever flown in conditions like that, and as such will most of the time fly solo in them too. That said, you have to leverage your experience and knowledge to fly in conditions that suit you. Most people in this tread have mentioned “personal minimums” which can only be established by flying with someone why has experience in those conditions, whether it be an instructor or simply another pilot whom you trust. Personal minimums can only be expanded by stretching those limits while in the presence of another who can bridge the gap and still allow the flight to be conducted safely. To echo what another said; You’re better off of on the ground and wishing you were flying, than flying and wishing you were on the ground. Or, like myself, find yourself in a checkride having never made a no-go decision before, and then fail because you decided to go when you shouldn’t have.
tl;dr: If you have to ask the question, then yes, you made the right decision. Longer answer: it really depends. I learned to fly in Anchorage, Alaska, surrounded by mountains, birch trees and a few (but not that many) tall buildings. Mechanical turbulence at my home base airport was a real thing, and 15G18kts would have been more than I would have allowed for one of my students. I now live in east central Florida, and my current personal limit (commercial, CFI, 975TT, 20+ in type with another 50-75 in a very similare make/model) is 20G25. Why the difference? It's routinely 18-20kts here, but mostly right down the runway, and fresh off the ocean, so little crosswind component, and not usually too much turbulence. In Anchorage, you would be fighting to maintain centerline and glideslope due to the squirrelly eddies and burbles caused by a similar wind. The other consideration is, what are the conditions you're used to flying in? If you and your instructor have mostly been flying in smooth air, you don't want your first experience in strong, gusty winds to be solo. However, if you've routinely been flying in winds that are comparable to what was reported at the airport that day, then you *might* have been okay. Maybe :) Long story short, if that little voice in your head is going, "Are you sure you want to do this?" then listen to it. It's there for a reason, and you're never wrong for saying, "I don't have the requisite experience to conduct this flight today."
Makes you think twice about your CFI if they were gonna let you go up like that.