Airport windsocks need to be in a contrasting color to the surroundings. [Courtesy: Holland Aviation via Pixabay]
Key Takeaways:
Windsock colors, such as orange, red, white, or striped combinations, vary globally to ensure maximum visual contrast against their specific surroundings for pilots.
The primary function of windsocks is to visually indicate wind direction and velocity to pilots.
Stripes on windsocks are often calibrated to signify wind speed, with a fully extended windsock typically suggesting winds of 15 knots or greater.
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.
