A wind that reduces the aircraft's ground speed is called which term?

A wind that reduces the aircraft's ground speed is called which term?

• A. HOLDING
• B. HEADWIND
• C. FORWARD
• D. GEAR

Answer: (B)

Headwind is wind coming from ahead along the flight path. It reduces ground speed because the air is moving toward the aircraft as it travels, so the speed over the ground is less than the speed through the air. Ground speed equals the airspeed adjusted for the wind component along the flight path, so a headwind subtracts from the true airspeed. For example, if the aircraft’s true airspeed is 320 knots and there’s a 25-knot headwind, the ground speed would be about 295 knots. Tailwinds do the opposite, increasing ground speed by the wind component. The other terms listed aren’t wind terms, so they don’t describe this effect.

Headwind is wind coming from ahead along the flight path. It reduces ground speed because the air is moving toward the aircraft as it travels, so the speed over the ground is less than the speed through the air. Ground speed equals the airspeed adjusted for the wind component along the flight path, so a headwind subtracts from the true airspeed. For example, if the aircraft’s true airspeed is 320 knots and there’s a 25-knot headwind, the ground speed would be about 295 knots. Tailwinds do the opposite, increasing ground speed by the wind component. The other terms listed aren’t wind terms, so they don’t describe this effect.