A recent visit to Las Vegas (after the F1 craziness) to check up on friends reacquainted me with the stark desert scenery. I flew to Boulder City, NV (KBVU) after a fuel stop at McClellan (KMCC) in Sacramento, curving around the restricted airspace and MOAs at Palmdale and Edwards AFB to approach the Las Vegas area from the south.

Since my last visit to KBVU, the area devoted to solar panels has expanded, and the Ivanpah Solar Power Facility, about 40 miles southwest of Las Vegas, uses mirrors to focus light at the tops of towers, heating liquid salt to over 1,050°F (566°C). The reflected light is so bright it’s marked as a potential hazard on aeronautical charts.

As I descended into KBVU the wind was strong out of the north, shifting from the northwest to slightly northeast. The most favorable runway, 33, was closed for a major overhaul, starting the morning when I arrived, so runway 9 was the best option.

The wind had increased during the morning, and as I approached the airport, the crosswind was at or above the maximum demonstrated crosswind component—17 knots—listed in the manual for my A36. Now, that wind speed isn’t a limitation. It’s just the maximum crosswind component that Beechcraft chose to demonstrate during certification tests. The wide stance of the Bonanza landing gear and excellent control response make landing a Beechcraft in strong crosswinds straightforward if you use the correct techniques.

The AFM for the Bonanza includes a 30-second limitation on slips, and because I prefer the crab-to-sideslip method for landing in a crosswind, I maintain a crab into the wind until I begin the roundout and flare, and then I lower the wing into the wind and push opposite rudder to align the nose with the centerline, adjusting as necessary through touchdown. Then it’s full aileron into the wind through the ground roll.