Free tool
Crosswind calculator
Pick an airport and see the headwind and crosswind on every runway, using the current wind report.
Or calculate for a single runway
°
°
kt
The formula
The angle is the difference between the wind direction and the runway’s true heading. When the headwind is negative, the wind is behind you: a tailwind.
A 10-knot wind 30° off the runway heading:
crosswind = wind speed × sin(angle)
= 10 × sin(30°)
= 10 × 0.50
= 5.0 kt
headwind = wind speed × cos(angle)
= 10 × cos(30°)
= 10 × 0.87
= 8.7 kt
At 45° the split is roughly equal. At 90° it is all crosswind.
Quick estimation without a calculator
You do not need trigonometry on the ramp. Think of the wind angle as a clock face. Every 10 degrees off the runway is roughly one more sixth of the wind speed as crosswind. At 30° off, use half the wind speed. At 45°, use three quarters. At 60° or more, treat the full wind speed as crosswind.
| Angle off runway | Crosswind fraction | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 10° | 1/6 | 18 kt wind → ~3 kt crosswind |
| 20° | 1/3 | 18 kt wind → ~6 kt crosswind |
| 30° | 1/2 | 18 kt wind → 9 kt crosswind |
| 45° | 3/4 | 18 kt wind → ~13 kt crosswind |
| 60° | ~7/8 | 18 kt wind → ~16 kt crosswind |
| 90° | Full | 18 kt wind → 18 kt crosswind |
These are approximations. The exact values come from sine and cosine, which this tool calculates for you.
Crosswind component chart
The exact crosswind component for common wind speeds and angles. Values are in knots.
| Angle | 10 kt | 15 kt | 20 kt | 25 kt | 30 kt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10° | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 20° | 3 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 10 |
| 30° | 5 | 8 | 10 | 13 | 15 |
| 45° | 7 | 11 | 14 | 18 | 21 |
| 60° | 9 | 13 | 17 | 22 | 26 |
| 90° | 10 | 15 | 20 | 25 | 30 |
Reading the METAR wind group
This tool reads the current METAR for the airport you select. The wind group is the first weather element in every METAR, right after the timestamp.
- 21015G25KT
- Wind from 210° true at 15 knots, gusts to 25 knots.
- VRB05KT
- Variable direction at 5 knots. No crosswind calculation is possible.
- 18010KT 150V210
- Wind from 180° at 10 knots, varying between 150° and 210°. The crosswind calculation uses the reported direction (180°).
- 00000KT
- Calm. No wind, no crosswind.
How this works
- Why every runway is answered at once
- Most crosswind calculators ask for one runway heading. This tool shows every runway end at the field, ranked by how well each one faces the wind. The answer to "which runway should I use" is usually the one with the most headwind and least crosswind — which is the top of the list. When the wind is between two runways, the ranking shows the trade-off without re-entering anything.
- The Denver runway 07 example
- Denver's runway 07 is painted with a magnetic heading of 070°. Its surveyed true bearing is 090.5°. The local magnetic variation is about 8° east. A METAR reports wind in true degrees. Subtracting 070 from a true wind gives an angle that includes the 8° variation — so a wind straight from the east (090° true) would report 6.8 knots of crosswind from the wrong side, when the real crosswind is near zero. This tool uses the surveyed true bearing, not the painted number.
- Variable wind (VRB)
- VRB means the wind has no steady direction. You cannot split it into crosswind and headwind because there is no angle to measure. The reported speed is still real. While the wind swings, the full speed can hit any runway on the field from any direction.
- Demonstrated vs. actual limit
- The POH's maximum demonstrated crosswind is the strongest crosswind a test pilot landed in during certification — usually on a dry runway, in smooth air, in a new aircraft. It is not a regulatory limit under Part 91. Wet or contaminated runways, gusty conditions, and wear on flight controls all lower the practical limit. Flight schools typically set their own at 60–80% of the demonstrated value for solo students.
Crosswind limits by aircraft
Most training aircraft have a maximum demonstrated crosswind between 12 and 20 knots. This is the strongest crosswind a test pilot landed in during certification. It is a data point, not a regulatory limit. Many operators and flight schools treat it as one.
| Aircraft | Max demonstrated |
|---|---|
| Cessna 150/152 | 12 kt |
| Piper PA-38 Tomahawk | 15 kt |
| Cessna 172 Skyhawk | 15 kt |
| Cessna 182 Skylane | 15 kt |
| Diamond DA20 | 17 kt |
| Piper PA-28 Cherokee | 17 kt |
| Beechcraft Bonanza A36 | 17 kt |
| Mooney M20 | 17 kt |
| Cirrus SR20 | 20 kt |
| Cirrus SR22 | 20 kt |
| Diamond DA40 | 20 kt |
| Cessna 206 Stationair | 20 kt |
| Beechcraft King Air 200 | 25 kt |
Values vary by model year and configuration. Check your specific POH.
Frequently asked questions
- How do you calculate the crosswind component?
- Multiply the wind speed by the sine of the angle between the wind direction and the runway heading. A 10-knot wind at 30 degrees off the runway gives 10 × sin(30) = 5 kt of crosswind. Use the cosine for the headwind: 10 × cos(30) = 8.7 kt.
- What is the difference between headwind, crosswind, and tailwind?
- A headwind blows toward the nose and shortens the takeoff and landing roll. A crosswind blows from the side and requires a correction to stay on the centerline. A tailwind blows from behind, increases ground speed, and lengthens the roll. Any wind that is not straight down or across the runway splits into both components.
- Can you land with a tailwind?
- Yes, but a tailwind increases ground speed, lengthens the landing roll, and makes the approach steeper. Most operators treat 10 knots as the practical limit. A negative headwind on a runway means the wind is behind you. Use the reciprocal runway if one is available.
- What crosswind limit should a student pilot use?
- Your instructor sets this, usually well below the aircraft's demonstrated value. Students usually start at 5 to 8 knots solo and increase the limit with experience. The POH's maximum demonstrated crosswind is a data point from certification flights, not a target for everyday operations.
- How do I read the wind group in a METAR?
- The wind group has five or more characters. The first three digits are the direction in degrees true. The next two or three digits are the speed in knots. G followed by digits means gusts to that speed. KT at the end confirms knots. For example, 21015G25KT means wind from 210 degrees at 15 knots, gusts to 25.
- What does the gust factor mean for crosswind?
- The gust speed is the peak wind recorded during the observation period. Calculate the crosswind component using the gust speed, not the sustained speed, if you want the worst case. The sustained speed gives the steady-state crosswind.
- Does this calculator use magnetic or true headings?
- This tool uses surveyed true runway bearings, not the painted runway number. A METAR reports wind in degrees true. True headings for both sides avoid the magnetic variation error that comes from mixing the two systems.
- Is there a regulatory crosswind limit for Part 91?
- No. 14 CFR Part 91 does not set a crosswind limit for private operations. The POH lists a maximum demonstrated crosswind, which is the strongest crosswind a test pilot landed in during certification. It is data, not regulation. Flight schools and operators often set their own limits. For Part 121 airline operations, the OpSpecs may include a crosswind limit set by the airline and the FAA.
- What are the three crosswind landing techniques?
- The crab method points the nose into the wind so the aircraft tracks straight down the runway, then kicks the rudder just before touchdown to align with the centerline. The wing-low (sideslip) method banks into the wind and applies opposite rudder throughout the approach, keeping the fuselage aligned with the runway. The combined method uses a crab on approach and transitions to a wing-low in the flare. Most pilots learn wing-low first and use the combined method in practice.
- How do I convert a runway number to a heading?
- Multiply the runway number by 10. Runway 27 points roughly 270 degrees magnetic. The number is always rounded to the nearest ten, so runway 27 could point anywhere from 265 to 274. Parallel runways add a letter: L for left, C for center, R for right. The letters do not change the heading. The reciprocal runway is always 18 higher or lower (modulo 36).
Not a substitute for an official pre-flight weather briefing.