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crosswind position — Aviation Definition | Keynomen Aviation

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crosswind position

Plain English Meaning

The part of the traffic pattern where you fly across the runway heading at right angles, just after takeoff climb-out, before turning to fly parallel to the runway in the opposite direction.

Full Definition

The leg of the airport traffic pattern flown perpendicular to the departure end of the runway, immediately after the climb-out from takeoff and before turning onto the downwind leg. In ground reference maneuvers and pattern flying, it is the segment where the airplane is flying across the wind rather than into it or with it.

crosswind position

Context Anchor

You see this term in ground-reference maneuver training, especially when learning how wind changes the shape of your path over the ground.

Derivation

Crosswind' literally means 'across the wind.' On this leg, the airplane is flying perpendicular to the runway, which in standard pattern conditions means it is flying across the prevailing wind rather than into or with it. The name describes what the wind is doing relative to the airplane on that leg.

Why Pilots Care

Recognizing this position lets the pilot apply the correct bank angle and wind correction so the ground track stays symmetrical and the maneuver remains on the chosen reference line.

Grounding Statement

Picture the wind blowing from your left or right while you are turning; at the crosswind position, the wind is pushing across your path rather than mainly from ahead or behind.

Intuition Check

Crosswind position does not mean the airplane is simply in windy conditions, and it does not mean the crosswind leg of a traffic pattern. Here it means the part of the maneuver where the airplane's path is across the wind.

Example Sentence 1

After climbing to pattern altitude, the pilot turned onto the crosswind position and began watching for traffic on downwind.

Example Sentence 2

In the eights-along-a-road pattern, the pilot rolls out of the turn just past the crosswind position to begin the next straight segment along the road.