The instrument panel
Crosswind Component Calculator
Runway heading plus reported wind — the diagram shows the geometry and the readouts split the wind into crosswind and headwind components.
CROSSWIND
HEAD/TAILWIND
For training and reference · verify with official sources and your POH before flight · no tool on this site renders a go / no-go judgment
The 30-60 rule in your head
The sine table pilots actually use: wind 30° off the runway → half the wind speed is crosswind. 45° off → about 70%. 60° or more → treat all of it as crosswind. This calculator runs the exact trigonometry, but the mental rule is what you will reach for on short final.
Density altitude changes the other half of the equation — a gusty crosswind at a high, hot field arrives after a longer takeoff roll and a flatter climb. Check the density altitude calculator or your field’s page in the airport lookup for that side of the story.
Frequently asked questions
How is the crosswind component calculated?
Pure trigonometry: crosswind = wind speed × sin(angle between wind and runway), headwind = wind speed × cos(angle). A wind 30° off the nose puts half its speed across the runway; at 60° off, nearly all of it (87%) is crosswind.
Which runway number do I enter?
Runway numbers are magnetic headings divided by ten: runway 17 points to roughly 170° magnetic. Enter the runway you intend to use; the calculator treats reciprocal runways automatically when you flip the number (35 vs 17).
Are METAR winds true or magnetic?
Written METARs report wind in degrees true; tower and ATIS voice reports are magnetic — the same reference runways use. For quick tower-report math, enter both as given. For METAR-precise work, convert true to magnetic with your local variation first; this tool applies whatever you enter without adjustment.
What is a demonstrated crosswind?
The demonstrated crosswind velocity in your POH is the highest crosswind component a test pilot showed during certification — for most aircraft it is informational, not a legal limit — though a crosswind limit published in your POH's Limitations section IS binding. Compare the component here against your own current limits, not just the book figure.