Question:
The primary purpose of the Windrose diagram is for the design of
The primary purpose of the Windrose diagram is for the design of
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Windrose diagrams plot wind direction and duration, used with a crosswind template to align the runway into the prevailing wind.
Updated On: Jul 22, 2026
- length of a runway.
- orientation of a runway.
- width of a runway.
- gradient of a runway.
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The Correct Option is B
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Understanding the Question:
A Windrose diagram is a polar plot that records the direction, duration (percentage of time) and speed of wind blowing at an airport site from various directions, built up from long-term meteorological observations.
Step 2: Key Formula or Approach:
Aircraft must take off and land facing into the wind as far as possible, because a headwind shortens the ground run needed and gives better control, while a strong crosswind component makes handling unsafe. The runway direction is therefore chosen so that the allowable crosswind component is not exceeded for the maximum possible percentage of time.
Step 3: Detailed Explanation:
By plotting the wind data on a Windrose and overlaying a transparent template marked with crosswind limit lines, a designer can rotate the template to find the runway direction (orientation) that keeps the crosswind component within limits for the highest percentage of wind observations, ideally 95 percent or more as recommended by ICAO. This is exactly how a Windrose diagram is used, to fix the orientation (alignment) of the runway.
The length of a runway is fixed from the aircraft's takeoff and landing performance requirements, corrected for elevation, temperature and gradient, not from wind direction. The width of a runway depends on the wingspan and wheel track of the design aircraft and safety margins, again unrelated to wind direction. The gradient of a runway is fixed from drainage and aircraft performance considerations, also unrelated to wind direction. So options (A), (C) and (D) do not match what a Windrose diagram is used for.
Step 4: Final Answer:
The Windrose diagram is used to fix the orientation of a runway. This is option (B).
A Windrose diagram is a polar plot that records the direction, duration (percentage of time) and speed of wind blowing at an airport site from various directions, built up from long-term meteorological observations.
Step 2: Key Formula or Approach:
Aircraft must take off and land facing into the wind as far as possible, because a headwind shortens the ground run needed and gives better control, while a strong crosswind component makes handling unsafe. The runway direction is therefore chosen so that the allowable crosswind component is not exceeded for the maximum possible percentage of time.
Step 3: Detailed Explanation:
By plotting the wind data on a Windrose and overlaying a transparent template marked with crosswind limit lines, a designer can rotate the template to find the runway direction (orientation) that keeps the crosswind component within limits for the highest percentage of wind observations, ideally 95 percent or more as recommended by ICAO. This is exactly how a Windrose diagram is used, to fix the orientation (alignment) of the runway.
The length of a runway is fixed from the aircraft's takeoff and landing performance requirements, corrected for elevation, temperature and gradient, not from wind direction. The width of a runway depends on the wingspan and wheel track of the design aircraft and safety margins, again unrelated to wind direction. The gradient of a runway is fixed from drainage and aircraft performance considerations, also unrelated to wind direction. So options (A), (C) and (D) do not match what a Windrose diagram is used for.
Step 4: Final Answer:
The Windrose diagram is used to fix the orientation of a runway. This is option (B).
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