Wind Calculator

Wind Correction Angle

Compute the heading to fly given TAS, wind direction and speed, and desired track. Get WCA, groundspeed, and headwind component instantly.

True Airspeed

kts

Wind Direction

deg

Wind Speed

kts

Desired Track

deg

Results

Heading to Fly353°

Groundspeed248kts

WCA7° LEFT

Wind Component0 kts HW

WCA is the angle between your heading and desired track. A positive WCA means you crab right; negative means you crab left into the wind.

About

Solves the wind triangle to find the heading you must fly to track a desired ground course. Enter true airspeed, wind direction and speed, and desired track - the calculator returns heading to fly, groundspeed, wind correction angle, and headwind or tailwind component.

How to Use

1Enter your true airspeed (TAS) in knots - this is your airspeed corrected for altitude and temperature.
2Enter the wind direction in degrees from which the wind is blowing (meteorological convention).
3Enter the wind speed in knots.
4Enter your desired track - the ground course you want to fly over the ground.
5Read the heading to fly from the results panel and check the WCA and groundspeed.

Tips

//Wind direction is the direction FROM which the wind blows - a 270° wind blows from the west toward the east.
//True airspeed differs from indicated airspeed - at altitude TAS can be significantly higher than IAS. Use TAS for accurate WCA calculations.
//A large WCA (over 10-15°) means significant fuel and time penalties on longer legs - plan alternate headings or altitudes.
//If TAS is less than the wind component perpendicular to your track, no solution exists - the wind is too strong to make good that course.
//The groundspeed result directly affects your ETA and fuel planning - a 30 kt headwind at cruise altitude can add 10-15 minutes to a 300 nm leg.

Formula

αwind direction - desired track

WCAarcsin(Ws x sin(α) / TAS)

HeadingTrack + WCA

GSTAS x cos(WCA) - Ws x cos(α)

No solutionwhen Ws x |sin(α)| > TAS

α uses the direction wind blows FROM. Positive WCA = crab right (wind from the right). Negative = crab left.

FAQ

What is the difference between heading and track?: Track is the actual path over the ground - where you want to go. Heading is the direction the nose points. In a crosswind, heading and track differ by the wind correction angle. ATC clearances specify tracks; you fly the heading.
Why use true airspeed instead of indicated airspeed?: Indicated airspeed is compressed by denser lower air, so it under-reads TAS at altitude. The wind triangle uses actual aircraft velocity through the air mass, which is TAS. Using IAS would give an incorrect WCA and groundspeed at altitude.
What does no solution mean?: No solution means the wind perpendicular to your desired track exceeds your TAS - no heading exists that would allow you to track the desired course. You would need a higher TAS aircraft or a different routing.