Hiya,Can someone quickly tell me the way around that this goes please? Is a TAILWIND a wind opposing the aircraft, slowing it down, or does it act on the tail making the aircraft go faster (and the same for headwind). The reason that I ask is because some of the calculations that I am doing here require me to SUBTRACT speeds with a tailwind component (G/S MINI) on the A340.Cheers

A tailwind is blowing from the back of the plane "pushing" it forward and increasing groundspeed. The headwind is blowing against the front of the plane, slowing its groundspeed. With very few exceptions, planes take off and land into the wind (or as closely into the wind as the runway heading allows).-Lindy :-wave