What true course is an airplane flying on a heading of 060 at 100 kt in a wind of 340/50kt headed towards?

What true course is an airplane flying on a heading of 060 at 100 kt in a wind of 340/50kt headed towards?

• A. West
• B. North
• C. East
• D. South

Answer: (C)

To understand what true course the airplane is flying, it is essential to consider both the heading and the wind conditions. The aircraft is set on a heading of 060 degrees, which means it is pointed towards 60 degrees on the compass—a direction just slightly north of east. However, the actual path over the ground, or true course, is influenced by the wind. In this scenario, the wind is coming from 340 degrees at a speed of 50 knots. This represents a northwesterly wind, which will push the aircraft off its intended heading towards the east. To determine the true course, we need to account for the effect of the wind. When the airplane flies on a heading of 060, but the wind is pushing from the northwest (340 degrees), it would generally cause the aircraft to drift to the left of its heading. The result of the wind pushing against the aircraft’s forward motion means that the resultant track over the ground will be more eastward than the aircraft’s actual heading. Thus, the combination of heading, airspeed, and wind direction leads the aircraft toward a heading that corresponds with a true course influenced significantly towards the east, confirming the choice of east as the correct answer.

To understand what true course the airplane is flying, it is essential to consider both the heading and the wind conditions. The aircraft is set on a heading of 060 degrees, which means it is pointed towards 60 degrees on the compass—a direction just slightly north of east. However, the actual path over the ground, or true course, is influenced by the wind.

In this scenario, the wind is coming from 340 degrees at a speed of 50 knots. This represents a northwesterly wind, which will push the aircraft off its intended heading towards the east. To determine the true course, we need to account for the effect of the wind.

When the airplane flies on a heading of 060, but the wind is pushing from the northwest (340 degrees), it would generally cause the aircraft to drift to the left of its heading. The result of the wind pushing against the aircraft’s forward motion means that the resultant track over the ground will be more eastward than the aircraft’s actual heading.

Thus, the combination of heading, airspeed, and wind direction leads the aircraft toward a heading that corresponds with a true course influenced significantly towards the east, confirming the choice of east as the correct answer.