Plain English Meaning

When the wind blows from the side, it pushes the aircraft off the line you intended to fly. Even though the nose is pointed where you want to go, the airplane drifts sideways with the moving air, and ends up somewhere different unless you correct for it.

Full Definition

The sideways movement of an aircraft caused by a crosswind component acting on it during flight. The aircraft's actual path over the ground (track) deviates from the direction it is pointed (heading) because the air mass itself is moving across that intended path.

Context Anchor

Pilots encounter wind drift during navigation, ground-reference practice, and approaches when the airplane’s path over the ground does not match where the nose is aimed.