Welcome Guest. Sign in or Signup

5 Answers

Navigation: Wind drift test question

Asked by: 289 views General Aviation, Private Pilot, Student Pilot

A plane is flying on true heading 080 degrees. The wind is blowing from 310 degrees. It suddenly makes a change and blows from 040 degrees. Why does the drift get smaller and the ground speed is reduced? How can this be illustrated?

Ace Any FAA Written Test!
Actual FAA Questions / Free Lifetime Updates
The best explanations in the business
Fast, efficient study.
Pass Your Checkride With Confidence!
FAA Practical Test prep that reflects actual checkrides.
Any checkride: Airplane, Helicopter, Glider, etc.
Written and maintained by actual pilot examiners and master CFIs.
The World's Most Trusted eLogbook
Be Organized, Current, Professional, and Safe.
Highly customizable - for student pilots through pros.
Free Transition Service for users of other eLogs.
Our sincere thanks to pilots such as yourself who support AskACFI while helping themselves by using the awesome PC, Mac, iPhone/iPad, and Android aviation apps of our sponsors.

5 Answers



  1. Mark Kolber on Feb 13, 2024

    Draw it out.

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  2. Oren on Feb 14, 2024

    I did. I still can’t figure out the crosswind and tail/headwind components affecting the place.

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes

  3. Best Answer


    Jeff Baum on Feb 16, 2024

    Mark’s right, draw it out.

    Use your plotter and a piece of paper. Draw a course line of 080 degrees. Draw a wind line of 310 degrees and pick a velocity, say 20 knots. Assume a True Airspeed of 150 kts.

    Now, use your E6B to determine your ground speed and right drift.

    Next, draw a wind line of 040 degrees. And assume the wind velocity remains 20 kts and your TAS remains 150 kts.

    Again, use your E6B to determine your new ground speed and right drift.

    Add those answers to your diagram and I think that you will see the answer.

    If you don’t you need more instruction from your CFI on E6B use and flight planning.

    +1 Votes Thumb up 1 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  4. Oren on Feb 16, 2024

    It worked with your explanation, but it’s not only drawing it out; it’s making calculations given certain assumptions.

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  5. awair on Feb 16, 2024

    I agree with Mark, and drawing it out.

    However, it does not have to be that complicated.

    On a heading of 080, wind from 310 is 50 degrees off, with a tailwind component. Wind from 040 is only 40 degrees off, with a headwind component.

    Wind from 310 has a greater crosswind effect, therefore a larger drift correction.

    +1 Votes Thumb up 1 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes


The following terms have been auto-detected the question above and any answers or discussion provided. Click on a term to see its definition from the Dauntless Aviation JargonBuster Glossary.

Answer Question

Our sincere thanks to all who contribute constructively to this forum in answering flight training questions. If you are a flight instructor or represent a flight school / FBO offering flight instruction, you are welcome to include links to your site and related contact information as it pertains to offering local flight instruction in a specific geographic area. Additionally, direct links to FAA and related official government sources of information are welcome. However we thank you for your understanding that links to other sites or text that may be construed as explicit or implicit advertising of other business, sites, or goods/services are not permitted even if such links nominally are relevant to the question asked.