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Microburst Wind Shear on Final Approach

Fly a simplified airliner point-mass model through an idealized microburst on final approach: watch airspeed swing from a headwind gain to a downdraft-and-tailwind loss, and track the real F-factor windshear hazard index in real time.

Aerospace Engineering & Orbital Mechanics3DAdvanced60 FPS📱 Mobile-adapted⇄ 2D version

A microburst is one of the most studied hazards in aviation weather: a compact, intense downdraft that fans out into a horizontal outflow as it hits the ground, producing a headwind-then-tailwind reversal in the space of a mile or two. This simulation flies a simplified point-mass aircraft model along a 3° glidepath through an idealized, continuity-consistent microburst wind field, computes the real F-factor windshear hazard index used in FAA/NASA research and airborne alerting systems in real time, and lets you compare a thrust-limited autothrottle response against an unmanaged encounter — the same energy-management problem that drove the FAA's post-1985 windshear training mandate.

⚙ Under the hood

Fly a simplified point-mass airliner through an idealized microburst on a 3-degree glidepath and watch the headwind-downdraft-tailwind sequence unfold, tracking the real F-factor windshear hazard index used in FAA/NASA research in real time.

aviationwind shearmicroburstflight dynamicsaerospaceF-factor

3D · Three.js / WebGL renderer · 60 FPS target · runs fully client-side, no install