Pinpointing wind direction......without ATIS

C

classicrock

Pre-Flight
Joined
Aug 18, 2015
Messages
73
Display Name
Display name:
acousticguitar
as a VFR student pilot, recently post solo (but way before checkride), I have been wondering this for a while.

if you didnt have access to ATIS(and are near an airport or not), how do you pinpoint wind direction?(what if the wind sock isnt visible)?

what are some reliable ways that other pilots use to determine wind direction(and wind speed for that matter)

suggestions?
 
Well it's not critical to know the exact number when coming in to land. You can usually figure out which way you have to crab to stay lined up with the extended runway centerline. If you are starting on the ground you can feel which way it's coming from it look at flags, etc.

What scenario are you asking about?
 
Fly parallel to the runway and time it, change directions and time it in the opposite direction (and maintain the same airspeed). Whichever takes longer is the one that's into the wind. Or check the winds at other airports in the area. The easy ones are the airports with only one runway*, you only have two choices. When you have extras, it's a tougher decision.

* - yeah, I know.
 
Smoke stacks, clouds, and water are the easiest (and largest) way to figure out the wind direction on the fly. I'm always watching out for which way the wind blows over the water (the glassy side tells all) after spending a little time in a seaplane. Smoke stacks, if you've got them around, are also awesome gigantic wind socks.

Past that, look for flags (it's America, after all) or tree tops. If those also don't help, you can listen to other traffic (at your airport or somewhere else close by), you can call flight watch, you can call a local tower, you can check Foreflight, you can look on your glass panel (if you have one), you can check your current wind correction angle, or you could just try to land in one direction and go around if you feel a tailwind.
 
P.S. You should always be aware of wind direction in case you have an engine out and need to pick a field ASAP. Watch the wind (flags) on your way to the airport, check the winds aloft, check sites like windyty.com, check the AWOS/ATIS before you go, and more.
 
19706 said:
Smoke stacks, clouds, and water are the easiest (and largest) way to figure out the wind direction on the fly. I'm always watching out for which way the wind blows over the water (the glassy side tells all) after spending a little time in a seaplane. Smoke stacks, if you've got them around, are also awesome gigantic wind socks.

Past that, look for flags (it's America, after all) or tree tops. If those also don't help, you can listen to other traffic (at your airport or somewhere else close by), you can call flight watch, you can call a local tower, you can check Foreflight, you can look on your glass panel (if you have one), you can check your current wind correction angle, or you could just try to land in one direction and go around if you feel a tailwind.
Click to expand...


That.

Also anchored boats will often point into the wind
 
Ask for airport advisories, use smoke, water, trees, if you have GPS look at your groundspeed.
 
I just look at the wind arrow on the Aspen or the 430w
 
Did anyone else mention the wind sock.....
(spell checking sometimes just SUX)
 
Last edited:
Somedudeintn said:
Wind arrow on the 430? How have I never seen this? I need details please.
Click to expand...
430W, it gets data from the Aspen. I think it does it's own wind calculation because the 430w and the Aspen aren't always in perfect agreement. It could just be an update thing. Dunno.
 
Somedudeintn said:
The windsock is not visible!
Click to expand...
Why not? I usually fly over, perpendicular to the runway at 1500', announcing just that, and look. If not visible or no smoke around, cows...., or tractors plowing dirt and you don't feel any setting motion from strong wind in your turns, it's probably not enough to worry about. You can ALWAYS (almost) go around and should practice that if you're a rookie so it comes naturally when anything is uncomfortable.
 
The obvious answer is if the airport has ATIS, it has a control tower. If the tower is staffed, ask them for the current winds. If the tower is closed, overfly the airport and observe the wind tee or wind sock(s). Also dial up AWOS for other nearby airports (although local conditions often vary). Steam plants, car dealerships with gigantic flags, BBQ shacks, fountains, car fires, etc. will help you figure out the wind on the ground.
 
MAKG1 said:
'Cause it doesn't exist. You need an ADC for that. Aspens have them, but 430s do not.
Click to expand...
430's have the computer, they don't have the sensors. Hook the sensor's to the 430 and it will compute winds aloft. It's in the manual in black and white.
 
I use the Aeroweather app.
78c5f5e425a89be8ddaeb7a6916a66d2.jpg



This space intentional left blank.
 
foreflight shows weather reported for an airport, plus surrounding airports. I'd check that prior to arriving in the terminal area. Pick a runway based on that, then when on final, notice the crab angle and note the GPS groundspeed. If groundspeed is higher than TAS, then you have a tailwind component. If it's less, then you have a headwind component.

If you're holding a pretty good crab AND there is a significant different between TAS and GS, then you have some ripping winds. If the nose is wallowing, then it's probably gusty.
 
Brad Z said:
... car fires ...
Click to expand...
I have never seen a car fire from the air. But I have judged the wind based on oil well flares. I've read that you can tell the wind direction by deciduous trees--the upwind leaves show their silvery bottoms. But we don't have trees, only oil well flares and cows. One of the two should work out.
 
With a GPS, turn until your ground speed is at the smallest value, turn 180, take the difference in speed and divide by 2 tells you direction and speed. Then look up and figure out how lost you are.

Smoke is one of the best ones. I don't think I've ever flown where there was at least one small fire somewhere. Plus there's a nuclear power plane nearby that always has a steam plume.
 
On down wind check your ground speed by GPS. On final check the ground speed by GPS. Final should be slower.

By the way, cows don't care much about the wind on a warm day. They graze every which way.
 
If all else fails, fly a rectangle and watch your drift. If your CFI was marginally decent and you paid attention you should have learned a lot of that stuff from ground reference maneuvers.

Ok, maybe that's a bit harsh, but that's how I feel when I read this stuff!
 
If you're totally unsureof the wind when arriving at an uncontrolled field, and no one else is in the pattern, set up to land on the preferred runway. Once on final, note wind correction needed to hold it over the runway. And, be ready to go around! If you're on speed, but still still not on the deck after the first half, go around, you probably have a tailwind. Don't force it on the ground. If you do force it on the ground, don't change your mind! Changing your mind likely means its gonna hurt more.
 
lot's of very complicated answers here.....(fly multiple directions and check ground speed with GPS, setting cars on fire, or was it setting cows on fire...whatever). It's not rocket surgery.....
1) others in the pattern? follow their lead....
2) nobody in the pattern? overfly and look for windsock and land appropriately
3) no windsock? set up on the (your) preferred. You should be able to tell headwind, tailwind or x-wind while flying the downwind.

you should always be spring loaded for a go-around during EVERY landing....if it feels/looks wrong, punch it, clean it up, and try again.....
 
Ripples on a body of water, leaves on the trees, wild (tall) grasses... simple stuff. You have two choices for landing direction so all you need to know is the general direction. That piloting stuff is meant to take care of the rest.
 
If you are crabbed away from the runway on a square base, you are coming in with a tailwind.
 
For most airports you really should be able to find some signs of wind direction by the surroundings.
 
With proper pre flight,you should have all the information on the departure airport and arrival airport,which includes the winds. Or go to fore flight.
 
MAKG1 said:
Winds aloft can be totally different from winds on the ground. Even winds at pattern altitude can be different.
Click to expand...

I've actually been bit in the butt by this. Set up to land into wind, based on smoke from a fire on the ridge above the airport. Wind on the runway was almost exactly 180 out and strong enough to give me a nice push down the runway. Being young and dumb, I waited too long to waive it off. And, I wound up just barely missed powerlines, and and fairground obstructions off the departure end. As I passed about 250' above an arena with horse and rider stopped in the middle looking up at me with a terrified expression. I'll never forget that, and I'll never make that mistake again!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top