One embodiment of the present invention is a method for automatically reducing the effect of a component of an external force that is laterally incident on a rotorcraft. A signal of the rotorcraft indicative of and proportional to the component is monitored. An absolute value of the signal and a preset high limit are compared. If the absolute value is greater than the preset high limit, manual heading control of the rotorcraft is disabled and the heading of the rotorcraft is adjusted with respect to the external force so as to decrease the lateral component of the external force experienced by the rotorcraft.