Aviation Windsocks for UK Airfields and Aerodromes

Wind direction is one of the most fundamental pieces of information on any aerodrome. Pilots use it on every approach and departure, air traffic controllers reference it, and aerodrome operators are required to provide it. The windsock is the simplest, most reliable way to deliver it, and at licensed aerodromes in the UK it is not optional.

Piggotts has supplied windsocks to British aviation operations for decades. We manufacture in the UK, hold stock in standard sizes, and understand exactly what a procurement manager or aerodrome operations team needs when an auditor comes to check your visual aids.

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What the regulations require

CAA CAP 168 Licensing of Aerodromes sets out the standards required at UK licensed aerodromes, covering management systems, operational procedures, physical characteristics and visual aids. Chapter 7 of CAP 168 covers visual aids including wind direction indicators, referencing ICAO Annex 14 as the baseline specification.

The combined requirements that your wind direction indicator must satisfy:

  • Colour: fluorescent (international) orange, to EN 471, contrasting clearly with the background against which it is viewed from aircraft
  • Extension: the windsock must extend fully in a 15-knot wind
  • Direction accuracy: it must indicate wind direction to within plus or minus 5 degrees at 3 knots
  • Minimum size: ICAO Annex 14 specifies a truncated cone at least 3.6m (12ft) long with a mouth of at least 0.9m (36 inches) for licensed aerodromes
  • Illumination: where the aerodrome operates at night, the windsock must be internally or externally illuminated so it remains visible in darkness
  • Supplementary indicators: aerodromes with multiple runway configurations may be required to install additional wind indicators

CAA inspectors verify wind direction indicator compliance as part of aerodrome licensing audits. A degraded, faded or non-compliant windsock is a finding, not a footnote.

ICAO Annex 14 is the international foundation on which CAP 168 is built, and it is binding for all 193 ICAO member states. For UK licensed aerodromes, CAP 168 is the operational standard your auditor works to. Refer to the current edition via the CAA publications page and verify against your aerodrome’s specific certification class.

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Windsocks for aviation

Choosing the right windsock for your aerodrome

Match your windsock to your site type and regulatory requirement. Use the table to check the specification, then browse the products below.

Site type Size Regulation Illuminated Product
Licensed aerodrome 12ft (3.6m) CAP 168 / ICAO Annex 14 Required (night ops) Safeguard 12ft →
Private airstrip / gliding 8ft–12ft ICAO Annex 14 (best practice) Optional Safeguard 8ft →
Onshore helipad 4ft–8ft CAP 168 / ICAO Annex 14 Vol II Required (night ops) Safeguard 4ft–8ft →
Offshore helideck Per CAP 437 CAA CAP 437 Required + ATEX rated Request a quote →
Club / training airfield 8ft–12ft ICAO Annex 14 (best practice) Optional Safeguard or Hypaguard →

Safeguard windsock

PU-reinforced polyester, stainless steel fittings. Aerodrome standard. 3ft–12ft.

From £27

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Hypaguard windsock

Lightweight nylon construction. Sheltered and inland sites. 3ft–12ft.

From £29.88

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Striped windsock

Orange and white bands for enhanced visibility and wind speed cueing.

Prices on enquiry

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Replacement sock

Sock only, fits your existing ring and harness. Same-day swap for on-site spares.

Prices on enquiry

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Windsocks for aviation

Pole and Mast Options

A windsock on an inadequate mast is a compliance risk in itself. The indicator must be elevated enough to clear nearby obstacles and turbulence, and mounted clear of obstructions in all directions.

We supply aluminium masts with hinged baseplates (for safe, single-person sock changes without scaffold), wall-mounted poles, and ground-sleeve options in heights suitable for the viewing distances of your runway.

Talk to us about a complete installation specification.

Windsocks for aviation

Maintenance and Inspection

CAP 168 compliance is not a purchase event, it is an ongoing requirement. Your aerodrome inspection regime should include a daily visual check of the wind direction indicator, a quarterly hands-on inspection, and planned annual sock replacement. For coastal and exposed aerodromes, six-monthly replacement is more realistic.

Our Airfield Windsock Maintenance Best Practice guide covers the full inspection schedule and what auditors look for. The [Windsock Inspection Checklist] is available as a free download if you need a ready-made record to keep in your aerodrome file.

Windsocks for Aviation

Why Piggotts

We have manufactured specialist fabric products for British industry since 1780, and have been part of the Specialised Canvas Group, one of the UK’s leading technical fabric manufacturers, for many years. Our windsocks are made in the UK, held in stock in standard aerodrome sizes, and supplied with the documentation your procurement file and audit record require. We do not build them to a lowest-cost specification and we will not tell you a sock will last five years on a British airfield.

For volume orders, trade accounts and installation support, please contact our team.

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FAQ's

What size windsock does a UK aerodrome require?

ICAO Annex 14, referenced by CAA CAP 168, specifies a minimum length of 3.6m (12ft) with a mouth diameter of at least 0.9m (36 inches) for licensed aerodromes. This is why 12ft is the standard aerodrome specification. Smaller socks are used at private strips and unlicensed sites.

Does a windsock need to be illuminated at an aerodrome?

Yes, where the aerodrome operates at night. CAP 168 requires wind direction indicators to remain usable in darkness, either by internal or external illumination.

How often should an aerodrome windsock be replaced?

Plan for annual replacement as a minimum, six-monthly for exposed or coastal strips, and replace immediately when fading, fraying or inaccurate behaviour is observed. A spare sock on site allows same-day replacement.

Do unlicensed airstrips need to comply with CAP 168?

CAP 168 applies to licensed aerodromes. Unlicensed sites are not subject to it, but ICAO Annex 14 provides the recognised international benchmark and most unlicensed operators follow it as good practice.