diff --git a/simgear/math/SGRay.hxx b/simgear/math/SGRay.hxx
index afd7b041..eef28cc4 100644
--- a/simgear/math/SGRay.hxx
+++ b/simgear/math/SGRay.hxx
@@ -47,6 +47,12 @@ public:
   SGVec3<T> getNormalizedDirection() const
   { return normalize(getDirection()); }
 
+  SGVec3<T> getClosestPointTo(const SGVec3<T>& point)
+  {
+      SGVec3<T> u(getNormalizedDirection()),
+          v(point - _origin);
+      return (dot(u, v) * u) + _origin; 
+  }
 private:
   SGVec3<T> _origin;
   SGVec3<T> _direction;
diff --git a/simgear/scene/model/particles.cxx b/simgear/scene/model/particles.cxx
index 08037900..acac7dfc 100644
--- a/simgear/scene/model/particles.cxx
+++ b/simgear/scene/model/particles.cxx
@@ -62,11 +62,13 @@ void GlobalParticleCallback::operator()(osg::Node* node, osg::NodeVisitor* nv)
     osg::Matrix om(toOsg(q));
     osg::Vec3 v(0,0,9.81);
     gravity = om.preMult(v);
+    // NOTE: THIS WIND COMPUTATION DOESN'T SEEM TO AFFECT PARTICLES
     const osg::Vec3& zUpWind = Particles::getWindVector();
-    osg::Vec3 w(zUpWind.y(), zUpWind.x(), - zUpWind.z());
+    osg::Vec3 w(zUpWind.y(), zUpWind.x(), -zUpWind.z());
     wind = om.preMult(w);
 
-    //SG_LOG(SG_GENERAL, SG_ALERT, "wind vector:"<<w[0]<<","<<w[1]<<","<<w[2]<<"\n");
+    // SG_LOG(SG_GENERAL, SG_ALERT,
+    //        "wind vector:" << w[0] << "," <<w[1] << "," << w[2]);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/simgear/scene/model/particles.hxx b/simgear/scene/model/particles.hxx
index 6dda343d..78c10821 100644
--- a/simgear/scene/model/particles.hxx
+++ b/simgear/scene/model/particles.hxx
@@ -257,6 +257,13 @@ public:
      * magnitude is the velocity in meters per second.
      */
     static void setWindVector(const osg::Vec3& wind) { _wind = wind; }
+    static void setWindFrom(const double from_deg, const double speed_kt) {
+	double map_rad = -from_deg * SG_DEGREES_TO_RADIANS;
+	double speed_mps = speed_kt * SG_KT_TO_MPS;
+	_wind[0] = cos(map_rad) * speed_mps;
+	_wind[1] = sin(map_rad) * speed_mps;
+	_wind[2] = 0.0;
+    }
     static const osg::Vec3& getWindVector() { return _wind; }
 protected:
     float shooterExtraRange;