Relative wind direction is determined by which of the following factors?

• A. The actual flight path
• B. The true wind at altitude
• C. The ground speed only
• D. The heading of the aircraft

Answer: (A)

Relative wind direction is the direction the air is moving past the airplane, which is opposite to the aircraft’s velocity through the air. That velocity is the actual flight path the airplane follows through the air mass, not just where the nose is pointed or how fast you’re moving over the ground. The heading might point the nose one way, but a crosswind can push the aircraft so its path through the air is different, changing the direction from which the air hits the aircraft. Ground speed tells you how fast you’re moving over the ground, and true wind at altitude describes the wind in the air, but neither alone determines the relative wind; it’s the aircraft’s motion through the air—the actual flight path—that sets the relative wind direction.