← Back to Aviation Glossary
Winds Aloft
Forecast 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.
Want to go beyond the definition? This term is covered in depth in AviatorPro's Private Pilot License ground school.
Learn more in Private Pilot License →Related Terms
- 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.
- Zulu TimeCoordinated Universal Time (UTC), used as the standard time reference in aviation worldwide to eliminate confusion across time zones. All flight plans, METARs, TAFs, and NOTAMs use Zulu time. For example, 1500Z is 3:00 PM UTC.