Definition
Visual devices located on or near an airport that show the direction the wind is blowing, allowing pilots to determine the favored runway for takeoff and landing. Common types include the wind sock, wind tee, and tetrahedron, typically placed near the runway in a segmented circle and visible from the air during traffic pattern entry.
Plain English
Things on the ground at an airport that show pilots which way the wind is blowing, so they know which runway to use.
Context Anchor
Seen near runways, ramps, or airport segmented circles, especially at airports without a control tower or when checking local surface wind visually.
Derivation
Wind comes from an Old English word meaning moving air. Indicator comes from a Latin word meaning to point out or show. Together, the term means something that shows the movement direction of the air.
Why Pilots Care
Pilots rely on these indicators to select the active runway and to apply proper wind corrections during takeoff and landing.
Intuition Check
Do not read this as a weather forecast tool. A wind direction indicator shows the local surface wind at that place and moment; it does not tell you winds aloft or conditions across the whole area.
Example Sentence 1
Before entering the traffic pattern at the uncontrolled field, the pilot overflew the airport to check the wind direction indicators.
Example Sentence 2
Illuminated wind direction indicators confirmed a light crosswind from the south.