Question

The angular difference between the heading of an aircraft and its track is called...?

Answer 1

The angular difference between the heading of an aircraft and its track is called the "wind correction angle" or "crab angle." This adjustment is necessary when there is wind affecting the aircraft's path, causing a deviation between its heading (the direction the aircraft is pointing) and its track (the actual path over the ground). The pilot may need to apply a wind correction angle to maintain the desired track.

Answer 2

The angular difference between the heading of an aircraft and its track due to crosswinds is called crab angle or drift angle, which pilots must compensate for to maintain the intended ground track.

Step-by-step explanation:

The angular difference between the heading of an aircraft and its track is called crab angle or drift angle. This occurs when an aircraft is affected by crosswinds, making its path over the ground differ from its heading nose direction. The aircraft must be steered into the wind to compensate for the drift caused by the crosswind in order to maintain the intended ground track. Pilots must take this into consideration to accurately navigate and reach their intended destination.

The concept is similar to how a sailor must point a boat into the wind to maintain a straight course. The vector addition of wind speed and aircraft airspeed dictates the actual ground track of the airplane. To calculate the ground speed and track angle, pilots or navigation systems use vector equations that account for the velocity of the aircraft with respect to the air and the velocity of the wind with respect to the ground.