Have you ever experienced one of those scary airplane landings? You know, the bumpy, “hair-raising” flight that is a challenge for pilots. For some people, it’s the kind of flight that makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up. Fortunately, well-trained pilots and air traffic controllers will always try to take off or land directly into the wind. This will give the airplane maximum lift for a smooth landing or takeoff. However, there are times when wind direction and speed change rapidly and a pilot can encounter a much less desirable crosswind to the runway.

The large passenger aircraft have very sophisticated technology to assess atmospheric conditions, but wind speed and direction can be more challenging for smaller aircraft. Some of these smaller aircraft still rely on visual cues to gauge general conditions. One such visual aid at an airport is the windsock. Windsocks have been around for hundreds of years and they still provide an instant measurement of wind speed and direction. These windsocks are calibrated to have a certain amount of slope or bend at a certain wind speed. They also provide instant visual confirmation of wind direction. The Federal Aviation Association states that a fully deployed windsock corresponds to a speed of 17 miles per hour. You can also calibrate a windsock using an anemometer. Check out my video, “In-Depth Weather,” for a more detailed look at the speeds required to deploy the windsock.

A windsock is not a sophisticated technology, but from an aviation perspective it is certainly important and can be of vital importance to those who fly in the friendly skies.