Editing Windsock (section)

{{Short description|Meteorological instrument for wind speed and direction}}
{{Distinguish|Winsock|Air sock}}
{{Infobox tool
| name = Windsock
| caption = Windsock in [[Freiburg im Breisgau]], Germany
| image = Freiburg im Breisgau - Flugplatz - Windsack.jpg
| other_name = 
| classification = Meteorological instrument
| uses = Indicates wind direction and estimates its speed.
| types = 
| used_with = 
| related = [[Anemometer]], [[weather vane]], [[anemoscope]]
}}
A '''windsock''' (also known as '''wind cone''' or '''wind sleeve''') is a [[Cone (geometry)|conical]] textile tube that resembles a giant [[sock]]. It can be used as a basic indicator of [[wind speed]] and [[wind direction|direction]], or as decoration. Windsocks are typically used at airports to show the direction and strength of the wind to pilots, and at chemical plants where there is risk of gaseous leakage. They are also sometimes located alongside highways at windy locations.

At many airports, windsocks are externally or internally lit at night.<ref name="FAA1">{{Citation| publication-date = 2 June 2004|date=2 June 2004| title = ACP 125(F), FAA Advisory Circular 150/5345-27D (PDF 447KB)| publisher = Federal Aviation Administration| url = http://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/advisory_circular/150-5345-27D/150_5345_27d.pdf| access-date =2017-01-07}}</ref> [[Wind direction]] is opposite the direction in which the windsock is pointing.{{efn|Wind directions are conventionally specified as the [[points of the compass|compass point]] from which the wind originates, so a windsock pointing due North indicates a southerly wind.}} Wind speed is indicated by the windsock's angle relative to the mounting pole{{px2}}{{mdash}}{{hsp}}in low winds it droops; in high winds, it flies horizontally.