Multiple choice

Tailwinds during a flight usually result in which of the following situations?

  1. Decreased TAS

  2. Decreased CAS

  3. Decreased GS

  4. Increased GS

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

A tailwind blows from behind the aircraft, pushing it forward and increasing the ground speed (GS) - the speed at which the aircraft moves over the ground. TAS (True Airspeed) and CAS (Calibrated Airspeed) are aerodynamic speeds that actually increase with a tailwind, not decrease.