In the wind triangle, the line from A to B represents what?

• A. True heading and airspeed
• B. Ground speed and true course
• C. Wind direction and velocity
• D. Magnetic heading and TAS

Answer: (A)

In the wind triangle, the line that represents the aircraft's motion through the air is the air-relative velocity vector. It shows true heading and true airspeed—the direction the nose is pointed and how fast the aircraft is moving through the surrounding air. When you combine this airspeed vector with the wind vector, you obtain the ground speed and true course, which is the actual path over the ground. The wind vector itself would show wind direction and velocity, not the aircraft’s motion through the air, and magnetic heading would refer to a different reference (magnetic north) rather than true heading.