Definition
The speed and direction of the wind at altitudes above the surface, typically forecast and reported at standard flight levels (such as 3,000, 6,000, 9,000, and 12,000 feet) for use in flight planning.
Plain English
How fast and from which direction the wind is blowing at the altitudes you'll be flying, rather than at ground level.
Context Anchor
Seen during preflight planning, weather briefings, and route planning when choosing an altitude and estimating time and fuel.
Derivation
‘Aloft’ comes from Old Norse ‘á lopt,’ meaning ‘in the air’ or ‘up above.’ So ‘winds aloft’ literally means ‘the winds up there’ — the winds at altitude, as opposed to the surface winds reported at airports.
Why Pilots Care
Winds aloft determine groundspeed, fuel consumption, and whether a flight will encounter a headwind or tailwind.
Intuition Check
Do not assume winds aloft are the same as the wind reported at the airport surface. The surface wind may be light while the wind a few thousand feet up is much stronger or from a different direction.
Example Sentence 1
During preflight planning, she checked the winds aloft forecast and chose 6,000 feet to take advantage of a 25-knot tailwind.
Example Sentence 2
Strong headwinds aloft increased fuel burn on the cross-country leg.