Which end of a runway to land?

Question

How do aircraft at airports work out which end of a runway to land?

Answer 1

NO...planes take off AND land INTO the wind!!!

Answer 2

Primarily, all operations are into the wind.
There are some airports that are in a place where you must take off in one direction and land in another, even if you have a tailwind. For example, if there is a tall mountain at one end of the runway, you always land facing the mountain, and take off away from the mountain. If the tailwind is too strong, you don't land there.
Same with a runway with a big slope. Land uphill, takeoff downhill.

Answer 3

well my friend,,,.........each runway is numbered according to its magnetic heading..let's say the run way is going to the west at a heading of 270 degrees. therefore that runway would be known as "runway 27". you can also land the other way.....the opposite of 270 degrees is 90 degrees therefore it would be "runway 9"....there may be 2 different runway 27's at an airport lined up next to each other..the one on the left would be runway 27 left (27L) and the right would be 27 right (27R)......for runway 9 just do the opposite.........sometimes even 3 could exist meaning the middle one would be runway 27 center (27C).......the controllers have the pilots land on a runway according to which direction the wind is blowing......for an example::::if i'm coming in to land and the wind is blowing 350 degrees the controllers would have me land on runway 27.........but if there was another runway crossing the other ones (there many cross runway airports...very common) let's say runway 35 they would have me land on runway 35.....any questions?!

Answer 4

Am I correct in inferring that none of you are familiar with Aspen Pitkin airport? Had an interesting experience there recently as we took off with an inbound regional airliner on (rather short) final in the opposite direction. At Aspen, which has one runway, landings are in one direction, and takeoffs are in the opposite direction, because of terrain considerations. The runway is sloped accordingly. Some weather conditions would over-ride this consideration. Yes, the general decider is wind, but Aspen is worth noting. They do takeoff and land in opposite directions there, with resulting anxiety a possibility.

Answer 5

At an uncontrolled airport it's up to the pilot.
Most airports maintain a radio station to
coordinate their traffic.
Unless something very unusual is going on,
aircraft land in the direction that is most 'into`
the wind to minimize ground speed at touch-down.

Answer 6

many of the time there's a westerly wind blowing on the airport (air blowing from the east). that is known prepare to take off and land into the wind, hence you notice airplane beginning off and landing from the western end of the runway. that's finished to lessen the landing roll and the take off run by using the part of the top wind, thereby lowering placed on and tear on the aircrafts aspects and making existence less demanding for the pilot besides. in the process the day as a results of fact the wind direction variations, the ATC compute the top wind factor and propose variations in landing/take off instructions for the excuses reported above. If the wind velocity is from 0 - 3 knots, the ATC won't exchange the path because this airspeed has negligible consequence on the airplane.

Answer 7

when the runway is long enough for you to land at it safely several times /touch-n-goes/ , then land so that you will finish the braking at the taxiway which is the best for your further taxi intentions. otherwise, land at the closer treshold and brake.
the first is suitable for small aircraft like cessna or all helicopters at large airports, the other is the common landing of all military aircraft and civilian airliners.
there is no point of landing your cessna at the first 200 meters of runway when your apron is at the distant end of runway, sometimes 1.5 nautical mile apart..

Answer 8

You always land into the direction of the wind.

If there is a cross wind blowing, then the air traffic controller works out the cross wind component and gives you a landing direction in which the component is blowing against your approach direction.

When wind strength is between 3 to 5 knots, the landing direction is not critical.

Answer 9

always fly INTO the wind so that your ground speed is less, landing or taking off.
So, on a large airport the traffic controller will tell you
on a smaller airport you land going against the wind.
called "flying out of the sock"

Answer 10

Airports don't. Weather does. Sort of. Airplanes always land and take off into the wind, or as close to it as they can.

Answer 11

By the wind direction--its better to land into a head wind & easier than landing with a tail wind.