Originally Posted by
avonflyer
a bit off topic BUT often wondered why do you get given wind direction and speed when on final - why not just give cross wind component and direction (such as 10 knots from the left). It would be easy for the FISO or Controller to calculate and save all this faffing about with rules of thumb..
It should be just as easy for the pilot then. If the wind is 30 degrees off runway heading, half of it is crosswind. If it's 60 degrees or more, you count all of it. Rocket science it aint.