Tailwind

Tailwind

A tailwind is a wind that blows in the direction of travel of an object. A tailwind increases the object's speed and reduces the time required to reach its destination. Tailwinds are commonly measured in relation to the speed of vehicles — commonly air and watercraft — as well as in running events — particularly sprints. The opposite wind is a headwind.

In aeronautics, a tailwind is unfavourable in takeoffs and landings. As a result, aviators and air traffic controllers commonly choose to takeoff or land in the direction of a runway that will provide a headwind.

Tailwind component

Pilots calculate the Headwind Component, Tailwind Component and Crosswind Component of any wind, if they do exist. Headwind and Tailwind are cosine functions of the wind while Crosswind Component is a sine function. Headwind and Tailwind do not occur together in normal conditions.

Assume: A=Angle of the wind from the direction of travel WS=The measured total wind speed CW=Crosswind TW=Headwind

Then

CW=Sin(A)*WS TW=Cos(A)*WS

For example if the wind is at 09015 that means the wind is currently from heading 090 degrees with a speed of 15 Knots and the aircraft is taking-off from runway 24; having heading of 240. We will us the runway side with less than 90 difference from wind direction, in this case Runway 06; heading 060.

Crosswind = Sin(090-060)*15 ≈ 7,5 Headwind = Cos(090-060)*15 ≈ 13

The aircraft is said to have 7,5 knots of crosswind and 13 knots of headwind on runway 06, or 13 knots of tailwind on runway 24.Aircraft usually have maximum tailwind and crosswind components which they cannot exceed. If the wind is at eighty degrees or above it is said to be full-cross. If the wind exceeds 100 degrees it is common practice to takeoff and land from the opposite side of the runway, it has a heading of 060 in the above mentioned example.

See also

* Headwind
* Crosswind
* Air navigation
* Thrust
* Wind assistance


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • tailwind — ► NOUN ▪ a wind blowing in the direction of travel of a vehicle or aircraft …   English terms dictionary

  • tailwind — [[t]te͟ɪlwɪnd[/t]] tailwinds also tail wind N COUNT A tailwind is a wind that is blowing from behind an aeroplane, boat, or other vehicle, making it move faster. A tailwind had cut the flying time by half an hour. Ant: headwind …   English dictionary

  • tailwind — UK [ˈteɪlˌwɪnd] / US noun [countable] Word forms tailwind : singular tailwind plural tailwinds a wind that blows in the same direction in which a vehicle is moving. A wind that blows directly towards a vehicle is called a headwind …   English dictionary

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  • tailwind — noun Date: 1897 a wind having the same general direction as a course of movement (as of an aircraft) …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • tailwind — /tayl wind /, n. a wind coming from directly behind a moving object, esp. an aircraft or other vehicle (opposed to headwind). [1895 1900; TAIL1 + WIND1] * * * …   Universalium

  • tailwind — noun a wind that blows in the same direction as the course of an aircraft or ship Ant: headwind …   Wiktionary

  • tailwind — tail|wind [ˈteılˌwınd] n a wind blowing in the same direction that something or someone is travelling →↑headwind …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • tailwind — n. wind coming from directly behind a vehicle or aircraft …   English contemporary dictionary

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