A short safety-tip video by Kenny Keller advising pilots (Robinson R22/R44 context) to never perform takeoffs or landings downwind. Keller recounts learning the importance from an instructor/accident investigator who described multiple accidents caused by downwind operations, and emphasizes checking wind (e.g., windsock) and preferring into-wind or crosswind operations.
Never make takeoffs and landings downwind. It sounds pretty simple. I went to a specialized school out in New Hampshire to become a instrumenturbine instructor. And that was back six or eight years ago, whenever it was. And this guy that put in the class very respected the helicopter world. And for half a day he was going on and on about takeoffs and landings downwind. And I thought, we all know. We all know not to do that. What's he talking about? And then I finally got it. By the time he was done, because he's also an accident investigator and he was going down the list all the different things that he's seen over the years where guys got downwind and wrecked the aircraft. So it really is a big deal. You can have the best intentions. And maybe you thought you knew where the wind was at. And maybe in an hour, flying around the pattern, you quit checking the wind sock and that wind changed on you. There's just so many reasons how a guy could get himself in a bad situation when he's trying to do the right thing. So always take off a landing of the wind crosswind, Never with the wind behind you. Do not do it.
