Drift Angle

Drift Angle is the angular difference between an aircraft's heading (the direction the nose points) and its ground track (the actual path over the surface). It is caused by crosswind pushing the aircraft sideways.

• If wind is from the left, the aircraft drifts right of its heading — drift angle is positive
• Pilots correct for drift by applying a Wind Correction Angle (WCA) into the wind
• Formula: Heading + Drift Angle = Track (approximately)
• FMS and GPS compute drift angle automatically
• Critical for navigation accuracy, especially on long legs or in strong wind conditions
• During approach, drift angle determines whether crab or sideslip technique is used for landing