An airplane is traveling with an airspeed of 500 mph in the direction cap n 60 degrees cap e A wind blows directly south at 50 mph. What is the plane’s drift angle?

The plane’s airspeed has components of 500 cos 60° = 250 mph north and 500 sin 60° ≈ 433 mph east. The south wind reduces its northward ground speed to 250 − 50 = 200 mph, while its eastward speed stays about 433 mph. Its ground direction is therefore arctan(433/200) ≈ 65.21° east of north, so the drift from its intended 60° direction is about 5.21°. The correct choice is 5.21 degrees.

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