Are they modelled with some accuracy? Can you use them to determine wind direction and strength? Or are they disconnected from the weather?

 

Some are, some aren't. Some devs seemed to have gotten the animations wrong/not understood how they work.

I think if you use the 'Windy Things' library of windsocks it works properly, in addition to adding better windsocks

I like to check them against the weather to see how they do. In RW flying they’re of course very useful!

For instance the ones at LGKO by ORBX - there are two at the southern end of the runway and they point in opposing directions 😆

1 hour ago, Virtual-Chris said:

Are they modelled with some accuracy? Can you use them to determine wind direction and strength? Or are they disconnected from the weather?

 

Seems a mixed bag tbh. I’ve overflown the airfield and seen the sock and landed into wind but then seen other socks pointing in different direction to the actual wind or even multiple socks showing different things. This isn’t down to local wind effects like Funchal either. 
 

I suppose if you’ve got upgraded airports the devs might have some input too? 
 

It’s difficult to tell really but my experience suggests they’re not always accurate anyway. 

The LOD is so small, you need to be virtually on top of them to see them. Usually not useful for me.

 

Many are correct. Many are not. MSFS has taught me to ignore them. 

1 hour ago, ErichB said:

I think if you use the 'Windy Things' library of windsocks it works properly, in addition to adding better windsocks

I'm going to give this a go. Cheers!

Here in the UK at most major airfields I was taught that the windsocks were 30kt types ; meaning that they would be horizontal at 30kts.

Perhaps this varies and is no longer the case but they were really useful during my career in the real world.

Some are useful, some are the opposite of useful (ie they are point 180 from the wind).

if it is realistic it's very useful..

 

If not it's just eye candy..

Apparently devs have to align them with due north to get them synced correctly, which is quite frankly, moronic, and why wind socks are pretty useless in MSFS. 

3 minutes ago, chapstick said:

Apparently devs have to align them with due north to get them synced correctly, which is quite frankly, moronic, and why wind socks are pretty useless in MSFS. 

The Windy Things library has been designed to orientate the windsocks to the direction of the wind.  I use it and it works very well

https://flightsim.to/file/14024/windy-things

 

Not really. Most of the time I noticed double and opposing socks. Example: LVFR KSAN.

Also, different socks that come out of the dryer too small.

1 hour ago, ErichB said:

The Windy Things library has been designed to orientate the windsocks to the direction of the wind.  I use it and it works very well

https://flightsim.to/file/14024/windy-things

 

Yep, as Erich says, they work perfectly if you add "windy-things" to your community folder.