Glossary
Aviation Weather
Tailwind
Definition
A wind blowing in the same direction as the aircraft's travel, increasing ground speed
Related Terms
Block Time
The total time from gate departure to gate arrival, including taxiing and airborne time
Crosswind
A wind blowing perpendicular to the direction of travel or runway alignment
Headwind
A wind blowing directly opposite to the direction of aircraft travel, reducing ground speed
Jet Stream
A narrow band of strong winds (100-200 kt) at high altitudes affecting flight times and routing
Knot (kt)
A unit of speed equal to one nautical mile per hour, used in aviation and maritime