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Two aircraft are flying simultaneously in level flight at different flight levels on opposite tracks overhead a given position. Aircraft A flying at FL070 experiences a 30 kt headwind. Aircraft B flying at FL060 experiences a 20 kt headwind. None of the aircraft experiences cross wind.

This wind condition will be referred to as

  • A
    vertical and horizontal wind shear
  • B
    vertical wind shear only
  • C
    horizontal wind shear only
  • D
    no wind shear since the absolute value of the difference in wind velocity per height unit is too small to fit the definition of wind shear at all

WIND SHEAR is a sudden change in wind direction and/or speed over a very short distance. We can think of wind shear as a gradient in wind velocity that can be interpreted in the same way as a pressure or temperature gradient.

Wind shear can be broken up into two parts:

  • Horizontal wind shear - A change in the wind over a horizontal distance
  • Vertical wind shear - A change in speed and/or direction with change of height
This question describes a wind which changes its direction by 180º - in only 1000 ft - between FL60 and FL80. Turbulence will be experienced by any aircraft climbing or descending through these levels.

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