Book 7, Question 65
Why Do Airplanes Care About Wind?
Airplanes fly through moving air, so wind matters a lot to them. A tailwind pushes a plane from behind and speeds the trip. A headwind pushes against it and slows it down.
From the book
Page from A Million Whys Book 7
More fun facts
- Jet streams blow at about the height where airplanes fly.
- Pilots heading east can save fuel by riding the jet stream, and those heading west can save fuel by avoiding it.
- Pilots and sailors measure speed in knots. One knot is one nautical mile per hour.
- Air travel uses nautical miles because they match the latitude and longitude lines used to find your way.
- Before takeoff, pilots check the forecast for frost and freezing rain that could put ice on the plane.
Sources: NOAA, NOAA Ocean Service, NASA
Questions kids ask
Why are flights east sometimes faster?
Planes heading east can ride the jet stream, which blows from west to east.
What speed unit do pilots use?
Knots, which means nautical miles per hour.