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An aircraft is flying at an IAS of 100 kts and heading due north, when it encounters a horizontal wind shear where the wind suddenly changes from 170/30 to 350/05 for a few seconds. What effect will this have on the aircraft?

  • A

    There will be little effect on the aircraft air speed.

  • B

    The aircraft ground speed will transiently fall.

  • C

    It will suddenly gain airspeed and will briefly rise.

  • D

    It will suddenly lose airspeed and will briefly sink.

It is perhaps better to consider these questions in terms of the aircraft's energy:

  • Headwind increasing / tailwind decreasing = gain of energy
  • Tailwind increasing / headwind decreasing = loss of energy

In this question it states: the aircraft is heading due north when the wind changes from 170/30 to 350/05. This will result in a change from a tailwind to a headwind = a gain in energy and so:

  • Aircraft rises above the flight path
  • Airspeed increases

Keep it simple: The wind is now simply blowing over the wing and also into the pilot tube.

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