Plain English Meaning

When wind is blowing across your path, you point the nose a little into the wind so the airplane still travels in the direction you actually want to go.

Full Definition

The act of heading the aircraft slightly into the wind so that the aircraft's actual path over the ground matches the intended track, rather than being pushed sideways by a crosswind.

Context Anchor

Used when tracking a VOR radio-navigation course or any planned course where wind is pushing the aircraft off the desired line.

Derivation

Drift' here means being carried sideways by the wind, like a boat across a river. '' is the adjustment made to cancel that sideways movement. Together: adjusting heading to cancel wind-caused sideways travel.