Max Drift

Max Drift

A method of assessing the effect of wind on the aircraft drift from track.  

MAX DRIFT - The maximum drift an aircraft will suffer from a wind directly abeam the flight path.  This is estimated by taking the windspeed and dividing it by the aircraft’s speed in nm / minute.  

E.g. An aircraft flying at 240 kts is covering 4 nm / minute.  With a wind from directly abeam with a speed of 20 kts the aircraft will suffer a drift of 5˚.  

20 / 4 = 5

See also: Clock Code

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