Have you ever had one of those scary plane landings?  You know, the bumpy, “hair-raising” flight that is a challenge for the pilots. For some folks this is the kind of flight that raises the hair on the back of your neck. Fortunately, a well-trained pilot and air controller will always attempt a takeoff or landing directly into the wind. This gives the plane the maximum amount of lift for making a smooth landing or departure. However, there are times when the wind direction and wind speed will change quickly and a pilot may encounter a much less desirable crosswind to the runway.

The big passenger planes have very sophisticated technology to evaluate the atmospheric conditions, but wind speed and direction can be more of a challenge for smaller planes. Some of these smaller planes still rely on visual cues to evaluate the overall conditions. One such visual cue at an airport is the windsock.  A windsock has been around for hundreds of years and continues to provide an instantaneous measurement of wind speed and direction. These windsocks are calibrated to give a certain amount of hang or bend as the wind reaches a certain speed. They also provide an instantaneous visual confirmation of the wind direction. The Federal Aviation Association says that when a wind sock is fully extended this is the equivalent of 17 miles per hour. You can also calibrate a wind sock with the help of an anemometer. If you watch my In-Depth Weather video this will provide a more detailed look on the speeds needed to extend the sock. 

A windsock is not a sophisticated piece of technology, but it is certainly is important from an aviation standpoint and can be critical for those flying the friendly skies.