How to Determine Wind Direction

[Tomesk]

When flying into bush strips or airports w/o weather information, how do you determine the wind direction? Is it from visual cues?

Thanks,

[DHenriques_]

When flying into bush strips or airports w/o weather information, how do you determine the wind direction? Is it from visual cues?

Thanks,

You should already have the wind direction from drift correction necessary while approaching the field. Always a good idea to over fly a remote strip at low altitude before landing on it. Gives you wind direction from drift, trees, tall grasses etc.
Many bust pilots carry smoke flares they can drop on a field if necessary to obtain wind; seldom needed BTW.
Dudley Henriques

[Lewis - A2A]

Yes Like Dudley says I've also heard the same about the flares but I believe using the local clues of the grass, trees, bushes etc tends to be a great sign during the overfly of the field/landing spot.

thanks,
Lewis

[Oracle427]

Drift is an excellent way to tell as you approach the field.

Trees and grass tend to work only when winds are stronger.

Columns of smoke are always good.

When lakes are nearby, the shore at the upwind end of the lake will usually have glassy water and the ripples will begin downwind of that. Glassy spots in the middle of rippled areas usually indicate downdrafts that are pushing down on the lake surface and smoothing the water.

Look at the larger birds and note which way they are facing when gliding in station into the wind.

Lastly, listen to the radio because other pilots may be using the field and you will get more information that way.

[AKar]

Lakes are an excellent help, though be aware that the wind over an airport may be significantly different from the prevailing wind that tends to show up on a nearby lake surface especially if the terrain is not relatively even. Other than that, a few rules of thumb to figure out small local variations are that during sunny days, 'warm ground' tends to draw the wind towards it, sunside hills tend to do so too, while areas in a constant shadow or otherwise 'cooler' tend to push the air outwards. If the airfield is high relative to its surroundings, the prevailing wind that you can determine from the drift makes a better guess, but if it is located for example in a valley, under a hill side or near other significant geographical feature, it may be beneficial to pay attention to those. These geographical features mostly show up in gusts, not always that much in the prevailing average wind.

-Esa

[Corkscrew196]

If there happen to be cows around whatch their buttocks they tend to turn them into the wind

[Nick - A2A]

if there happen to be cows around whatch their buttocks they tend to turn them into the wind

Into the wind? I think if I were a cow, I'd endeavour to position my buttocks downwind whenever possible!

Nick

P.S. On a more serious note, I was chuffed to see the signals square visible on my recent purchase of FTX Compton Abbas (EGHA). I haven't had a chance to check if the 'T' is controlled by FSX wind direction though...

[Corkscrew196]

Don't mistake cows for crows.