Windsocks play a very important purpose in assisting people in knowing what the wind speed and direction is.  Clearly not the most accurate, it gives a very clear indication to people to help make them make decisions.  This is particularly common in the aviation industry where you will no doubt see lots of these dotted around airfields and will compliment a pilots instruments in their gliders, planes or helicopters.  There are many different types of commercial windsocks that people can purchase which includes the very common bright orange one or they can go for the bright red and white stripped ones.  In terms of quality, there are also many different variations that are based mainly on the actual quality of the windsock.  This could be around the thickness or the polyester the weather proof quality.  Here are some of the common business’s that could benefit from a windsock.

Airfields

There is hardly an airfield in the country where you will not see one of these windsocks erected.  This assists people in knowing the wind strength and direction for take-off and landing.  If the airfield have opted for the stripped version of a windsock, this may support in giving an indication of the wind speed where for every strip it is supposed to replicate 3 knots in wind speed.  The more the windsock is dropped then the lower the wind speed.  Clearly in today’s more modern world, most aircraft types that are taking off or landing in an airfield have internal instruments to let them know the current landing conditions however this will clearly help support and back up the instruments.  In addition, air traffic control will support with queries on weather conditions to help the pilot prepare properly.

Road and Motorway

You may not think it particularly important that drivers of motor vehicles are informed of the current wind speed but there are certain circumstances that this becomes pretty crucial.  If you can imagine being a lorry driver going over an open high bridge.  This may become a common place for lorries to actually overturn if the wind speed is high.  As such, sometimes these are erected in these types of areas in order to support the decision of the drivers to continue their journey or stop and wait until the weather conditions approve.  Clearly the drivers of these types of motor vehicles do not have the internal instruments therefore the support of the windsock is very helpful.  Sometimes the windsock is more for the highway agencies to actually make a decision on whether or not to restrict drivers from using bridges rather than allow the drivers to make that decision themselves.

Model Aircraft Clubs

It may sound over the top however model aircraft clubs may also erect a windsock.  This is more for health and safety purposes so that they can make a decision to continue flying their appliances or stop.  If they get this wrong, they could find that their appliance is uncontrollable and could be a danger for those around it.

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