PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - IFR- working out the drift in flight, how?
Old 30th May 2001 | 12:40
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juswonnafly
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AV8

Take the approx windspeed at your flight level, divide by 2, the resulting number is your MAX DRIFT

Using the clock code, imagine that one complete revolution round the face of your wristwatch is MAX DRIFT

Substitute the degrees off heading for seconds on the clock

This method relies on the notion that anything over 60 degrees off is considered MAX DRIFT and is based on 120 kt cruise

eg 20 degrees = 20 seconds = 1/3 of MAX DRIFT

40 degrees = 40 seconds = 2/3

60 degrees or more = MAX DRIFT

It does get a bit tricky when the wind is 'behind' you, i.e, 120 degrees off....in this case you need to consider how much the wind is off your tail...here it would be 60 degrees so again MAX DRIFT

Actually you can use the one method for Head wind calcs too. The trick here is too remember that there are only 90 degrees of angle to use and to calibrate the 'clockface' in knots of wind

eg heading 360 wind 030/20

drift = 30 'seconds' worth of 10 (20/2)

headwind = 60 'seconds' worth of 20

therefore drift = 5 degrees, headwind = 20 knots

eg heading 030 wind 075/25

drift = 45 (3/4) of 12 = 9 degrees (say 10)

headwind = 45 (3/4) of 25 = 18 knots (say 20)

In all cases round up or down as convenient, the wind is after all only a guestimate!

I realise that reading this it may seem a little confusing but read it again, draw a few examples on paper and it will soon come to you.

Hope this helps

JWF