Figure 3-1 Relationship Between Wind and Aircraft Heading

CHAPTER THREE

INSTRUMENTS FLIGHT PLANNING

302.

WIND TRIANGLE

If this were an ideal world in which to fly, there would be no wind. Set the aircraft to fly a track

and the aircraft would not deviate. The same would be said for airspeed. TAS and GS would be

one and the same. This is not the case as you have found out. There is one element that changes

all of this wind.

One of the most important tasks an NFO performs is determining what the wind is, where it is

coming from and how fast. If an aircraft flies a constant heading and has any wind acting on it,

its actual path over the ground or track is different from the aircraft's heading.

The relationship between wind and aircraft heading/TAS is illustrated by the wind triangle in

Figure 3-1.

Figure 3-1 Relationship Between Wind and Aircraft Heading

The wind vector causes the aircraft to drift from its intended course. Additionally, the wind

vector causes GS to be either less or greater than TAS (Figure 3-2).

3-2 SITUATIONAL AWARENESS