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Wind Shear
A sudden change in wind speed or direction over a short distance, including low-level wind shear near the surface. Wind shear is a hazard that can appear in PIREPs and weather briefings and may require a go-around or delayed departure.
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Learn more in Private Pilot License →Related Terms
- Winds AloftForecast or reported wind direction and speed at altitude, used for flight planning, groundspeed estimates, and turbulence expectations. PIREPs often include wind-aloft observations that pilots compare with forecast winds during preflight and en route weather updates.
- Windward SideThe upwind side of a ridge or mountain where airflow is forced upward. Windward slopes can produce lift, while the corresponding lee side may produce downdrafts and turbulence; mountain planning identifies both sides before entering a valley or approaching a ridge so an escape toward lower terrain remains available.
- WINGS (Pilot Proficiency Program)An FAA-sponsored voluntary proficiency program. Completing a phase of WINGS can satisfy the flight review requirement under 14 CFR 61.56 and gives returning or active pilots a structured way to keep building knowledge and skills between formal reviews.
- Wingtip VortexA counter-rotating swirl of air shed from each wingtip whenever an airplane produces lift. The pair of wingtip vortices is the core of wake turbulence: they are strongest behind heavy, clean, slow aircraft, tend to sink and drift with the wind, and can exceed a light trainer's roll-control authority.