Tailwind

Aeronautics calculations

Pilots calculate the headwind or tailwind component and the crosswind component of local wind before takeoff. The direction of wind at a runway is measured using a windsock and the speed by an anemometer, often mounted on the same post. Headwind and tailwind are opposite interpretations of the wind component which is parallel to the direction of travel, while crosswind represents the perpendicular component. Determining the ground speed of an aircraft requires the calculation of the head or tailwind.