Jet / Airliner Crosswind Limit Calculator
Crosswind and tailwind components against typical transport-category limits — dry vs wet vs contaminated runway, autoland caps included.
Numbers here are representative of 737/A320-class AFM and SOP values — your fleet's FCOM/OM-B figures govern. Contaminated-runway limits collapse fast because the tires' cornering force is already spoken for.
Formula
⚠️ For flight planning and education only — always verify against your aircraft's POH/AFM, official weather sources and certified instruments. Not for primary navigation or airworthiness decisions.
Disclaimer: This tool is for general informational and estimation purposes only and is not professional financial, tax, accounting or legal advice. All figures are estimates — verify with a qualified professional before making decisions. Read the full disclaimer.
Crosswind and tailwind components against typical transport-category limits — dry vs wet vs contaminated runway, autoland caps included.
About Jet / Airliner Crosswind Limit Calculator
Transport-category crosswind limits are not one number but a table — dry, wet, slush, ice and autoland each carve the envelope smaller. This calculator computes the components for a reported wind and compares them against representative 737/A320-class limits per runway condition, making vivid the part that surprises passengers: the same 25-knot crosswind that's routine on a dry runway is a diversion trigger when the surface turns contaminated.
How to use Jet / Airliner Crosswind Limit Calculator
- 1Enter — sensible defaults are pre-filled so you see a worked result immediately.
- 2Read the live results: .
- 3Check the "With your numbers" line to see the formula crosswind = W·sin(Δ) vs condition-dependent limit (dry ≈ 35 kt, wet ≈ 25, RWYCC 3 ≈ 15, autoland ≈ 20) substituted step by step.
- 4Adjust inputs (or flip the unit toggle) until the scenario matches yours, then copy or share the result.
Why use Jet / Airliner Crosswind Limit Calculator?
- ✓Instant, free and private — every calculation runs in your browser, nothing is uploaded
- ✓Built on the published formula crosswind = W·sin(Δ) vs condition-dependent limit (dry ≈ 35 kt, wet ≈ 25, RWYCC 3 ≈ 15, autoland ≈ 20) with sources cited on the page
- ✓Numbers here are representative of 737/A320-class AFM and SOP values — your fleet's FCOM/OM-B figures govern. Contaminated-runway limits collapse fast because the tires' cornering force is already spoken for.
- ✓Switch units, tweak any input and watch every result update live
Frequently asked questions
Why do crosswind limits drop so hard on contaminated runways?+
Tire cornering force comes from the same friction budget as braking. On a runway condition code 3 surface the budget is a third of dry; spend it resisting the crosswind's side-push and little remains to stop. Manufacturers therefore publish limits stepping down from ~35–40 kt dry to ~15 kt or less on slush and ice, sometimes 10 on wet ice.
What limits an autoland to ~20 knots of crosswind?+
The autopilot's certified control envelope. Autoland systems decrab and flare with predetermined control laws certified across a finite wind envelope — typically 20–25 kt crosswind, with separate headwind and tailwind caps. Outside it, the pilots must land manually even in weather where autoland would otherwise be preferred, which is an operational planning wrinkle in winter storms.
Are airliner crosswind numbers limits or demonstrated values?+
Mixed. Some AFM figures are demonstrated maxima (like GA), but operators almost universally convert them into hard SOP limits, often shaved for line crews and trimmed further for low-visibility, narrow runways or new captains. The working answer for any airline pilot: the OM-B/FCOM table is a limit, full stop.
Gusts: do airlines use steady, mean or gust value against the table?+
Most operators define the limit against the steady wind plus the full gust increment for the crosswind check (i.e., the gust counts entirely), while energy/approach-speed additives use partial gust. Conventions differ by operator and manufacturer — checking how your FCOM words it is a worthwhile sim-prep detail. This tool conservatively takes the wind you enter at face value, so enter the gust.
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