Effect Of Wind Drift - INSIGHT STRIKE FINDER Pilot's Manual

STRIKE FINDER

Effect of Wind Drift

All forms of weather detection devices including Radar, are effected by wind
drift. When flying in cross wind conditions, the airplane's track and heading
will differ. The amount they differ is dependent on the direction and
magnitude of the cross wind component, (see Table 1).
Table 1 lists some examples of
heading and the track) caused by cross wind. Because wind speed and
direction vary, monitor the amount and direction of wind drift for
interpretation of Strike Finder display, and deviation planning.
Table 1. Wind Drift Table
Note: Storms may or may not be experiencing the same wind drift as the
aircraft. (For example, Frontal Thunderstorms are influenced by two different
air masses with an associated frontal wind shift).
With Light or No Wind
Figure 18, (p.324, shows the Strike Finder CAUTION and DANGER areas
and the effect of a strong cross wind on a 200 kt aircraft. One active
thunderstorm appears as a small cluster at 10:30 about 150 nm from the
aircraft. With a light cross wind condition, the track of the aircraft is basically
the same as the aircraft heading. The CAUTION and DANGER areas are
measured within the two
cluster appears outside the CAUTION area.
PILOT'S GUIDE
Wind Drift
30-degree azimuth markers
DIGITAL WEATHER AVOIDANCE
angle (the angle between the
and the thunderstorm
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