To go or not to go? That is the question...

So I joined a flying club not too long ago. Took my orientation flight last week - had a great flight, despite having very few hours in a Cessna 172 (and none in a 172SP). Oh, and it's been a long time since I flew a plane with an electrical system, so dealing with the new plane, the radios, the avionics, and an instructor talking to me about this and that the whole time... well, it felt a little overwhelming. But still, I had a great time, it was a successful flight, and the instructor was great.

So I put myself on the schedule for today - this afternoon, from 1400-1700 - to do some more practice and get used to the plane.

Got to the airport and it was pretty windy. As in, the windsock couldn't decide whether it wanted to stand straight out, or just at about a 45 degree angle with the ground. About the only thing it seemed sure of was that it really wanted to point straight across the runway.

Now, in my primary instruction, I remember an instructor telling me that a windsock standing straight out means you have about 15 knots of wind. Whether that's at all accurate or not, I can't really say for sure, but it seems like a reasonable benchmark. So I can say that today had at least 8-10 knots of direct crosswind, with gusts closer to 15. I also remember from my primary instruction (and from reading the plane's manual) that while a Cessna 172 has a maximum demonstrated crosswind capability of about 15 knots, I have a maximum demonstrated crosswind capability of closer to 8. Maybe higher... I'm sure I've improved a great deal, but I'm still not the most comfortable with my crosswind technique.

So, the decision: go or no-go? While debating, I even stood there and watched a couple other planes flying around. A Diamond DA20 was taxing by, and I watched them hold short of the runway while another plane came in (some manner of Cherokee, I think...?). Yep, sure enough, both planes were having to crab an awful lot, and both the landing and the takeoff were pretty unsteady. That pretty well sealed the decision in my mind.

So here was my thinking:

1) Other planes - with pilots who are (probably) far more experienced than I - are flying, but it's kind of rough.
2) That crosswind is a little stiff for my own personal limits.
3) While pushing my own personal limits is not necessarily a bad thing, and yes, I probably could have handled it...
4) I really don't want to bend the bird. Ever. But especially not with me being so new to the club.
5) Old adages come to mind: "It's better to be on the ground, wishing you were in the air than it is to be in the air, wishing you were on the ground."

So in the end, I think it was a good decision. Do I regret not flying? You bet I do - I always do. But I'd rather rue the decision to NOT fly than to rue the decision to go flying in conditions that may be just beyond my ability. And I'm okay with that.