Drift angle is defined as the difference between which two headings?

Drift angle is defined as the difference between which two headings?

• A. TH and TC
• B. TR and VAR
• C. TH and TR
• D. TAS and GS

Answer: (C)

Drift angle is the angle between the direction the aircraft is pointing (heading) and the direction it is actually moving over the ground (track). Wind pushes the airplane sideways, so even with a given heading, the ground track can be different. True heading is the nose direction relative to true north, while true track is the actual path over the ground relative to true north. The drift angle is the difference between TH and TR. This concept helps explain why you may need to adjust your heading to maintain a desired ground track. Speeds like TAS versus GS or other terms do not describe this angular difference.

Drift angle is the angle between the direction the aircraft is pointing (heading) and the direction it is actually moving over the ground (track). Wind pushes the airplane sideways, so even with a given heading, the ground track can be different. True heading is the nose direction relative to true north, while true track is the actual path over the ground relative to true north. The drift angle is the difference between TH and TR. This concept helps explain why you may need to adjust your heading to maintain a desired ground track. Speeds like TAS versus GS or other terms do not describe this angular difference.