Definition
Heading adjustments made into the wind to keep the aircraft tracking the desired ground path despite being pushed sideways by a crosswind. In a holding pattern, drift corrections are applied during the inbound and outbound legs to compensate for wind that would otherwise blow the aircraft off the holding course.
Plain English
Small turns into the wind to stop the wind from pushing you off your intended path over the ground. Without them, the aircraft would slowly drift sideways and end up somewhere other than where you wanted to go.
Context Anchor
Used when flying a holding pattern with wind, especially while adjusting the inbound and outbound legs so the aircraft stays near the intended pattern.
Derivation
Drift' comes from Old English meaning 'to be carried by a current.' In flying, the wind is the current, and the aircraft drifts sideways through the air mass. The 'correction' is the heading change that cancels out that sideways push.
Why Pilots Care
Keeps the aircraft inside protected airspace and on the published holding track.
Intuition Check
Do not think of drift correction as only a fix after the airplane is already off course. In flying, it is often a planned wind allowance made while flying so the aircraft stays on the desired path.
Example Sentence 1
With a strong crosswind from the south during holding, the pilot applied a drift correction by turning the nose slightly into the wind on the outbound leg.
Example Sentence 2
After entering the hold, the crew used drift corrections on each leg to compensate for the crosswind.