Definition
The angles by which an airplane's heading is offset into the wind to counteract the sideways push of a crosswind, so that the actual track over the ground matches the intended course.
Plain English
When the wind is pushing you sideways, you point the nose slightly into the wind so you still travel in the direction you want. The amount you turn the nose into the wind is the drift correction angle.
Context Anchor
Seen during straight-and-level flight when the airplane is being held on a selected course or ground reference while wind is pushing it sideways.
Derivation
Drift comes from the same root as drive — it originally meant being driven or pushed along by an outside force, like a boat carried by a current. In flight, the wind drives the airplane sideways off its intended path, and the correction angle is the heading offset that cancels that push.
Why Pilots Care
Without the correct drift correction angle the aircraft will gradually move away from the planned route, leading to navigation errors or unsafe deviations from the intended path.
Analogy
It's like walking across a moving sidewalk that's pushing you to the right. To reach a door directly ahead, you have to aim slightly to the left. The amount you aim off is your drift correction angle.
Intuition Check
Do not assume the airplane should always point directly at the place it is going. With wind, the nose may need to point slightly into the wind so the airplane’s actual path over the ground stays straight.
Example Sentence 1
With a strong wind from the left, the pilot held a 10-degree drift correction angle into the wind to stay on the planned course.
Example Sentence 2
When the wind shifted during the flight, the pilot changed the drift correction angle to stay aligned with the planned route.