Reporter questioned takeoff with high crosswind and tailwind component.

Attributes
ACN	91881
Time
Date	198808
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cvg
State Reference	OH
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 3300 flight time type : 1600
ASRS Report	91881
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We were on the ground at cvg, waiting for takeoff to phl. Thunderstorms were in the area, with lightning striking south of the field. We had pushed back from the gate and taxied to runway 9R for takeoff. Center shut down all departures, and we waited for about 45 mins. The wind shifted favoring runway 27L, so after taxiing there and waiting another 15 mins, tower gave wind gusts of 120 degrees/ 34 KTS. I advised the captain this was out of our limits (31 KT crosswind, 10 KT tailwind limitation). The wind apparently dies down, and we were cleared onto the runway, then for takeoff. After releasing the brakes, we were given the wind again. I don't recall exactly what it was, but again I believe it was out of limits. I was at the controls and continued the takeoff. Company policy requires the captain to initiate aborted takeoffs after power is set. In retrospect, I feel we should not have taxied onto the runway with the wind as it was. The captain was the type who makes his decisions west/O comment from the crew. I should have been more forceful in declining the takeoff for performance limitations. However, being scheduled to fly with the same captain for 11 more days this month, and already having been reprimanded for other suggestions, I was reticent to take action.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: REPORTER QUESTIONED TKOF WITH HIGH CROSSWIND AND TAILWIND COMPONENT.

Narrative: WE WERE ON THE GND AT CVG, WAITING FOR TKOF TO PHL. TSTMS WERE IN THE AREA, WITH LIGHTNING STRIKING S OF THE FIELD. WE HAD PUSHED BACK FROM THE GATE AND TAXIED TO RWY 9R FOR TKOF. CENTER SHUT DOWN ALL DEPS, AND WE WAITED FOR ABOUT 45 MINS. THE WIND SHIFTED FAVORING RWY 27L, SO AFTER TAXIING THERE AND WAITING ANOTHER 15 MINS, TWR GAVE WIND GUSTS OF 120 DEGS/ 34 KTS. I ADVISED THE CAPT THIS WAS OUT OF OUR LIMITS (31 KT XWIND, 10 KT TAILWIND LIMITATION). THE WIND APPARENTLY DIES DOWN, AND WE WERE CLRED ONTO THE RWY, THEN FOR TKOF. AFTER RELEASING THE BRAKES, WE WERE GIVEN THE WIND AGAIN. I DON'T RECALL EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS, BUT AGAIN I BELIEVE IT WAS OUT OF LIMITS. I WAS AT THE CTLS AND CONTINUED THE TKOF. COMPANY POLICY REQUIRES THE CAPT TO INITIATE ABORTED TKOFS AFTER PWR IS SET. IN RETROSPECT, I FEEL WE SHOULD NOT HAVE TAXIED ONTO THE RWY WITH THE WIND AS IT WAS. THE CAPT WAS THE TYPE WHO MAKES HIS DECISIONS W/O COMMENT FROM THE CREW. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE FORCEFUL IN DECLINING THE TKOF FOR PERFORMANCE LIMITATIONS. HOWEVER, BEING SCHEDULED TO FLY WITH THE SAME CAPT FOR 11 MORE DAYS THIS MONTH, AND ALREADY HAVING BEEN REPRIMANDED FOR OTHER SUGGESTIONS, I WAS RETICENT TO TAKE ACTION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.