The windsock at my home airfield is a liar, and I no longer trust it. Last week, it convinced me to take off with a light tailwind on a warm day with a passenger aboard. Disaster was never imminent, but the takeoff was quite uncomfortable.
The prevailing winds, the winds at surrounding airports, and the weather briefing I received prior to the flight all indicated that Runway 13 was the one to use. During the 15 to 20 minutes leading up to my departure, however, the windsock lazily swung around and slightly rose to show a light wind from the opposite direction. It stayed there, and so, I chose Runway 31 for the takeoff.
