Airport windsocks need to be in a contrasting color to the surroundings. [Courtesy: Holland Aviation via Pixabay]
Key Takeaways:
Windsock colors vary globally to ensure optimal visibility against the surrounding environment, with common colors in the U.S. being orange, red, or white.
The main purpose of a windsock is to provide pilots with a clear visual representation of wind direction and velocity.
The contrasting colors enhance visibility, and stripes on windsocks are calibrated to indicate wind speed, with a fully extended sock typically signifying 15 knots or more.
Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.
