(James L. Freeman) wrote in message
. com...
Can someone offer a non-mathematical EXPLANATION (as opposed to
DESCRIPTION) of why the speed of headwind and crosswind components of
a wind add up to more than the speed of the wind?

Thanks.

"Andrew Sarangan" wrote in message
om...
Because wind has speed and direction. You cannot just add the numbers
to get the total. You have to do a vector sum (considering direction
and speed).

I don't think that's the answer. When I run a wind problem on my
Whiz-Wheel, the resultant IS a vector solution and the crosswind is only a
fraction of the wind velocity. Something makes me want to say it is the
cosine of the angle off the wing.