See the wind split across the runway.
Break any wind into its crosswind and headwind/tailwind components against your runway. Type the numbers or drag the wind arrow around the runway diagram — then compare against your aircraft’s demonstrated crosswind and your personal limits.
Enter your runway heading and the wind — or drag the wind arrow around the runway — to break it into crosswind and headwind/tailwind components.
Educational estimates only — not for flight planning or dispatch. Compare results against your aircraft's demonstrated crosswind component and your own limits.
Drag around the runway to set wind direction. Blue = wind, orange = crosswind, green = headwind.
Crosswind = wind speed × sin(angle between wind and runway); headwind = wind speed × cos(angle). A 15-kt wind 50° off the runway gives about 11 kt crosswind and about 10 kt headwind.
The maximum demonstrated crosswind is the strongest crosswind a test pilot demonstrated at certification — a capability figure, not a hard limit, but beyond it you're in untested territory. Many light trainers show ~15 kt. Know your aircraft's number and set a personal limit below it.
Yes. The more the wind is off the runway heading, the more becomes crosswind and the less becomes headwind. Past 90° off the nose it's a tailwind — which lengthens takeoff and landing distance and may favor the reciprocal runway.