Commercial Pilot Airplane (CAX) Calculations Practice Exam – Practice Test & Study Guide

To determine the headwind component for takeoff, you first need to know the aircraft's takeoff direction, which is usually aligned with the runway heading. Let's assume the takeoff direction is north, corresponding to a runway heading of 360°.

With the wind reported at 190° at 25 knots, you can visualize the wind direction. The wind is coming from the south-southwest (190°) and blowing towards the north-northeast. To calculate the headwind component, you need to find the angle between the heading and the wind direction.

By applying the formula for headwind calculation, which often uses the cosine of the angle between the wind direction and the runway heading, you determine how much of the wind contributes to a headwind for the aircraft.

In this case:

1. The angle between the headwind direction (360°) and the wind direction (190°) is 170°.

2. Using the cosine function:

Headwind (knots) = Wind Speed × cos(θ)

Here, θ would be 170°.

3. When you calculate it, you find that the headwind component is approximately 10 knots.

Thus, the calculation confirms that a head