Question 1

What is the difference between heading and track?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 2

Why use true airspeed instead of indicated airspeed?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 3

What does no solution mean?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 4

What is the wind correction angle formula?

Accepted Answer

WCA = arcsin(wind speed x sin(wind angle) / TAS), where the wind angle is the wind direction minus your desired track. Example: a 30 kt wind 90° off a 250 kt TAS track gives arcsin(30/250) = about 7° of correction. The faster you fly, the smaller the correction the same wind demands.

Question 5

How do I find my heading from a wind correction angle?

Accepted Answer

Heading = desired track + WCA. A positive WCA (wind from the right) is added, a negative WCA (wind from the left) is subtracted. To fly a 360° track with a 5° left correction, steer 355°. This calculator does the addition for you and shows the final heading to fly directly.

Wind Correction Angle

Wind Components on the Runway