Definition
Wind conditions at or near the surface that exceed the comfortable handling limits of the aircraft, the pilot's experience level, or both — particularly when they include a significant crosswind component, gusts, or rapid shifts in direction. In a training context, strong winds are conditions that meaningfully increase the workload and risk of takeoff and landing operations.
Plain English
Winds that are fast enough, gusty enough, or shifty enough to make takeoffs and landings noticeably harder and riskier than usual.
Context Anchor
Used in landing risk discussions, especially when deciding whether a student should practice landings, continue an approach, or go around.
Why Pilots Care
Strong winds raise the chance of loss of directional control, runway excursions, or hard landings if the pilot does not adjust technique or choose a suitable runway.
Intuition Check
Do not assume strong winds means only a very high wind speed. A moderate wind can be a strong risk if it is gusty, across the runway, or beyond the student’s current skill level.
Example Sentence 1
Because of strong winds and gusty conditions at the field, the instructor postponed the student's first solo landing practice.
Example Sentence 2
With strong winds reported from the west, the student chose the runway that gave the smallest crosswind component.