Landing in very high winds A few weeks ago, a storm passed through my area with winds reported at 55kt and gusting to 68kt.  Many light planes managed to break their tie-down ropes and were flung around the ramp area, which isn't surprising given the storm's winds were definitely above a typical light plane's VS0, VS1 and VR, possibly above VREF, VX and even VY.  Pilots being pilots, though, there were soon jokes about being able to take off and land vertically.

I understand that actually trying this would be a very bad idea, even before one considers the other aspects of the storm, e.g. lightning, rain, hail, low visibility, etc. that would make flying unsafe anyway.  I would never even think of trying it.  Still, it seems like an interesting theoretical question.

Is it even theoretically possible to "land" or "take off" in such winds, at least within the usual meaning of those words?  I can see that you could fly to touchdown easily enough, but how would you stop flying?  How could you taxi and secure an aircraft when you need significant power just to not go flying up (and probably backward) off the ramp?
It can be done. Some bushplane action...