In this blog, the weather hazard I've chosen is wind. The wind is the much-needed element to get an aircraft into the air, and it also affects how an airplane flies. The wind is the air that naturally travels from a high-pressure source to a low-pressure source. When the outside atmospheric temperature changes in the troposphere - the atmosphere layer closest to the earth - it creates upward, downward, or horizontal motion. The wind is essential to pilots and therefore is taken into consideration when flight planning.
Wind patterns such as headwind, tailwind, and crosswind can be either beneficial or a nuisance to pilots and their aircraft. Headwind blows directly in front of the course of the airplane, tailwind blows directly behind the aircraft course, and crosswind blows from the sides. Pilots prefer headwinds for take-off and landing. During takeoff, headwind generates more lift for the aircraft and creates a shorter take-off distance. Landing into the wind creates more drag and lowers ground speed. A pilot taking off with a tailwind has to travel more distance to accelerate. While landing with a tailwind, this makes an increased rate of descent and increases the landing distance. Tailwind is ideal for faster travel and the use of lesser fuel.
The wind is rarely considered a cause of aircraft accidents, but when it does, the cause wasn't just the wind; it could be on the pilot for not applying the proper procedure when specific wind patterns occur. While in flight around large buildings, mountains, or other large obstructions, the airflow can be broken up and create a wind gust making a rapid change of wind direction. Another sudden change in wind can be its speed, also known as wind shear. Violent wind shears can create either an updraft or downdraft, causing a change in the airplanes horizontal movement, also known as lift.
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