"James L. Freeman" wrote in message
om...
Can someone offer a non-mathematical EXPLANATION (as opposed to
DESCRIPTION) of why the speed of headwind and crosswind components of
a wind add up to more than the speed of the wind?

The same reason the opposite and adjacent sides of a right angle triangle
add up to more than the hypotenuse. I guess that's mathematical, but it is
an explanation...

Regards
Andrew