I just came back from the airport. When I was taxing over to the revetment where I tie down the wind was blowing about 20 and gusting 30. There was a lot of snow blowing around and on the ground and not much traffic today so the tower had to send a front end loader over to shovel a path for me and dig out the revetment a little. I got a gust that shoved the tail around and was already steering pretty much with the brakes (this is what you need to do in a tail dragger when the rudder gets overpowered) so I had to really stand on the right brake to straighten the plane out and I blew the "O" ring out of the puck in the caliper. At least I hope that is what the problem is. It was blowing and snowing enough that all I could tell for sure is that there was hydraulic fluid spewed all over the snow. With no brake to steer with and all the snow and wind the tower had to send some crew out and it took five guys to back the little plane into the revetment. By the time I was done I was pretty disgusted, although grateful this didn't happen on some remote strip or beach where I'd have to fly back and land without that brake. Back on the boat now with the heaters going and life seems a little better again.
