If you were flying on an airplane or just sitting at home watching the news, the following thought may have crossed your mind: Can aircraft really take off in high winds? Are modern airplanes designed to fly in high winds safely, and if so, what is the speed difference from that of an aircraft flying in lower winds?
Although there may be some flight turbulence, modern planes are designed to stand strong winds, so these planes can indeed take off in High Winds. In fact, planes take off against the winds due to aerodynamics and Newton’s third law of motion, which states that every action has an equal but opposite reaction. However, winds that can abruptly change the direction of the airplane may be dangerous.
Knowing the plane’s general take-off limitations can save you a lot of worries, especially if you are fearful during turbulence. Through this article, you will find out what winds actually mean and how they impact your plane’s journey, along with whether planes can take off in high winds.
How Winds Influence Flight
The wind is caused by changes in air pressure, and it is defined as the natural horizontal movement of air. Although you may have seen that it is measured by mph, in aviation, it is actually measured in knots.
While measuring the maximum wind limits in aviation it is split and measured into the following parts: Crosswind, Headwind, Tailwind, and Total wind. It is important to understand the terms for these as they determine what type of high winds affect a flying plane. Through these parts, we also determine the take-off speed of the knots. They are defined as follows:
- Headwind is the measure of wind from the front of the plane
- Tailwind is the amount of wind from the back of the plane
- Crosswind refers to the wind’s side components
- The Total Wind is the total speed of the wind
How Does Wind Affect The Plane And Its Take-Off?
In order to propel an aircraft into the air, it needs speed and direction from the wind. This phenomenon is known as the “wind effect.” Besides the working engine, the plane’s wings are what actually make the airplane fly. The engine only contributes to the forward acceleration of the airplane.
This is because the wings let the airflow over their surface, and when this air flow reaches a certain limit, it provides the wings a “lift.” The plane starts taking off once the lift is greater than the weight.
The role of engines here is to provide that driving force to let the airflow be created over the wing. Hence, the winds are the vital source of taking off and flying the plane. Here’s a video to understand better how these wings work:
Can Planes Take Off In High Winds?
The simple answer is yes; planes can take off in high winds. Modern planes are designed to withstand these high winds, and the pilots are trained to use their skills to fly planes in all conditions, and here the physics comes into play.
It all depends on what wind component we are talking about and the limitations. The front winds and the crosswinds are the two main factors in determining the limitations of the high winds for a plane’s take-off.
Although there are limits to everything, the wind limitations for the plane’s take-off are not determined by the Headwinds mainly. In fact, these headwinds are the part that makes the airplane take off, due to Newton’s third law of motion: every action has an equal and opposite reaction.
So when the plane takes off, it is the winds from the front of the plane that contribute to the airflow above the wings.
The more the speed of headwinds, the faster the plane is. You can relate it to the streams of water; any object in the water will move faster if the water flow of the water is faster in one direction.
We discussed how the right amount of headwinds actually help the plane take off, fly and land, so what happens when the winds across and down the plane, which are the crosswinds and the tailwinds, are too high?
These components are where wind limitations are actually implemented before taking off. Most aircraft are limited to around 40 knots (46mph) of crosswinds, but it may vary slightly from station to station depending on the runway and other factors.
For example, for a take-off, The Boeing 737, has a crosswind limitation of a maximum of 35 knots if the runway is dry. If it is wet, the limitation is 15 knots. On the other hand, Boeing 777 which is longer, has the limitation of 38 knots crosswind. (Note that this is their crosswind take-off speed, not the total take-off speed).
It is important to note here that airports or airlines have not universally determined these wind limitations, the aviation authorities have to calculate these limitations carefully. Similarly, runways are also built around them using specific calculations and airplane designers use the wind rose chart for assistance.
Precautions During A Windshear
If a Windshear (a sudden change in wind velocity and direction) occurs right after the take-off of the plane, it can cause severe problems. It is the most dangerous when a plane is taking off or landing. In such cases, the radar on the ground already detects a Windshear and the flight crew avoids it by following some steps before the Windshear is even detected.
These modern radar systems help avoid all common accidents.
Conclusion
Planes can take off in High winds, but they also come with some limitations. As we explained in the article, these limitations are already calculated by flight agencies and depend on the types of winds, mainly the crosswinds. Even if there is a Windshear condition, modern radar systems detect these beforehand and the flight crew takes precautions to avoid any complications.
