Author Topic: Airport Runways  (Read 569 times)

Offline RAIDER14

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Airport Runways
« on: May 25, 2009, 10:48:50 PM »
How do you know which runways an airport is using?

For Example at DFW there is 18L/18R & 36L/36R they are the same runways just flipped
http://www.caesimuflite.com/atcmaps/dfw-lrg.gif

Offline Golfer

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Re: Airport Runways
« Reply #1 on: May 25, 2009, 10:57:54 PM »
In the case of a towered airport it will be broadcast over the ATIS, Automatic Terminal Information Service, as a letter coded collection of information.  This will include the time of the observation/recording, the weather, general conditions and operating notes for the days operations.  This usually can be received a fair distance from the airport allowing you to plan your approach whether visual or instrument.  Not all towered airports use an ATIS and they use a method similar to below.

For a non towered airport the weather broadcasting service, whether AWOS, Automatic Weather Observation System or ASOS, Automatic Surface Observation System will broadcast the current conditions typically every minute depending on human added notes appended to the recording.  Using the current conditions you determine the best runway to use based on the winds or other factors such as sun position if the wind is calm or obstacles/terrain requiring the use of one runway or the other.

For airports without weather observation other than a windsock, tetrahedron or flag in the breeze you use those as a method of determining which way to land.  Some places have preferred calm wind runways for noise abatement or other reasons which depending on how thorough the airport manager is can be either in the A/FD or hidden someone in local lore.

Offline jododger

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Re: Airport Runways
« Reply #2 on: May 25, 2009, 10:58:07 PM »
Each airport has different landing configurations and wind is the number one factor on which runway is used.
Rwy 18L and 36R are the same piece of concrete.
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Offline RAIDER14

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Re: Airport Runways
« Reply #3 on: May 25, 2009, 10:59:31 PM »
Thanks for the information planing to take some relatives out to the grapevine area might stop by there

Offline Chalenge

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Re: Airport Runways
« Reply #4 on: May 26, 2009, 01:26:42 AM »
A lot of dedicated virtual simmers have taken to streaming ATIS and ATC over the internet but I think a lot of major airports are 'officially' streamed as well.

http://www.dfwtower.com/

Not all streams are active throughout the day or everyday.
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Offline bcadoo

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Re: Airport Runways
« Reply #5 on: May 26, 2009, 09:25:56 AM »
How do you know which runways an airport is using?

For Example at DFW there is 18L/18R & 36L/36R they are the same runways just flipped
http://www.caesimuflite.com/atcmaps/dfw-lrg.gif

In the case you cite (DFW), you land where they tell you.
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Offline Denholm

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Re: Airport Runways
« Reply #6 on: May 26, 2009, 10:26:22 AM »
In the case of determining where the planes will be coming from and going to, I would just rely on a local weather forecast. If the winds are coming from the south, the planes will be landing on runways 18, 17, and possibly 13. If the winds are coming from the north, the planes will be landing on runways 36, 35, and possibly 31. Just remember, aircraft are more likely to be landing flying into the wind than with the wind.
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Offline Golfer

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Re: Airport Runways
« Reply #7 on: May 26, 2009, 10:30:08 AM »
If that's all you're doing Raider then I'd suggest going out to the airport and from miles away looking up into the air to see where the airplanes are.  Much less technologically intensive that way.

Offline Shuffler

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Re: Airport Runways
« Reply #8 on: May 26, 2009, 10:46:07 AM »
Each airport has different landing configurations and wind is the number one factor on which runway is used.
Rwy 18L and 36R are the same piece of concrete.

Yup south n north.
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Offline -tronski-

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Re: Airport Runways
« Reply #9 on: May 27, 2009, 04:05:07 AM »
ATIS

Because like in Sydney (YSSY) today they where using RWY34L for arrivals and non Jet departures, and RWY 16L for Departures (simultaneous opposite direction parallel runway operations) this afternoon. They used to noise share by using simultaneous RWY 07/25 arrivals/departures and RWY 16L/34R & 16R/34L arrivals/departures.

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Offline Russian

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Re: Airport Runways
« Reply #10 on: May 27, 2009, 11:28:39 AM »
Today I got a reply for a tower during inbound call
- I'm not sure where to put you...standby.  :lol

Roger that...mixture idle....standing by.  :devil