How do you know in what runway you will be landing on?

[Cyberstudio 41]

Hi guys!

Im wondering, when you're at your departure airport (Lets say from TNCM to KJFK), and you're entering you flight plan, how do you know in what runway you will be landing on when you arrive at your destination airport? Some flights are 4 or 5 hours long and i guess that the wind will vary, so how do you handle that in the airbus? what's the procedure?

[The Dude 6537]

Normally the wind does not vary 180 degrees when it is a strong wind. During preflight you just enter the runway you think will be the active one and if it changes while your are flying towards the destination you change the runway in MCDU. It is that simple.

[Tom A320 4915]

Actually it is handled outside of the Airbus.

You will get your departure rwy via ATIS and usually don't know your arrival rwy before departure, but will get it told later on by ATC. This is because weather cold easily change while you are on your way. So just enter a rwy of your choice and change it later if necessyry.

If you are flying offline you can use flight planners like PFPX which will include the weather into the flight plan and suggest a departure and arrival rwy.

[Cyberstudio 41]

Thanks for your answers!

So, the method is:

1. Find out what runway is in use at the destination airport
2. Program the MCDU using that runway
3. if it changes while you're in your way, you delete the star and reprogram the mcdu with a new star/runway

That's the way?

[tup61 185]

That's the way indeed.

I personally bought PFPX specially for this Airbus (kinda odd that the planner is a LOT more expensive than the plane...!) and it works really well! I just finished my first PFPX generated flight. I use ASN for weather and PFPX 'reads' the weather data and picks the right runway plus SID and STAR! It couldn't be easier! In the past I've used various methods to figure all this out but I always found it hard to get done: using PFPX is BY FAR the easiest way and also the most realistic way.

[The Dude 6537]

That's the way

[moo 1]

And set up an alternative runway in SEC F-PLAN if you prefer it and ATC approves and simply activate it instead of setting it again on approach

[Gonzalo Ramazco 1]

That's the way indeed.

I personally bought PFPX specially for this Airbus (kinda odd that the planner is a LOT more expensive than the plane...!) and it works really well! I just finished my first PFPX generated flight. I use ASN for weather and PFPX 'reads' the weather data and picks the right runway plus SID and STAR! It couldn't be easier! In the past I've used various methods to figure all this out but I always found it hard to get done: using PFPX is BY FAR the easiest way and also the most realistic way.

Or a calculator + the METAR + skyvector .

I sometimes prefer the manual way.

[Gonzalo Ramazco 1]

And set up an alternative runway in SEC F-PLAN if you prefer it and ATC approves and simply activate it instead of setting it again on approach

But is the SEC F-PLN working on the AXE A319/A318? Didn't tested yet.

[KAPTEJNLN 237]

well the best tool i use and is normaly ok to find what they use in real life is icao.dk it gives you a calculated runway based on the weather data it got.. and it gives you a indication of what runway in daily used for departure and arrival for normal operation

[moo 1]

But is the SEC F-PLN working on the AXE A319/A318? Didn't tested yet.

Haven't used it yet. On the A320/A321 yes I have...

[Christopher Barbas 7]

Thanks for your answers!

So, the method is:

1. Find out what runway is in use at the destination airport
2. Program the MCDU using that runway
3. if it changes while you're in your way, you delete the star and reprogram the mcdu with a new star/runway

That's the way?

1a. Do read the airport briefing/charts, not always but for many airports you will find there the TAKEOFF or LANDING RWY dependency, weather for example, crosswind restrictions etc.

1b. Personally when my destination is a complex airport I am doing an internet search about the arriving/departure RWYs. You can also find very useful info's at the IVAO Divisions or VATSIM ARTCC websites.

[heffron91 26]

I check FlightRadar24 for the actual runway in use for optimal realism

[KAPTEJNLN 237]

well if you look at the FlightRadar24 you might be surpriced as they not always land in to the wind some times they have tail wind but depends on airport and desity of traffic..

take CPH I have seen traffic arrive from both ends thats not normal for 2 runways besides each other. first one RWY 04R the next 04L after that 22L but seen it in other airports as well. and no it was not due to the wind changsed as the next one was 04L again..

[Axe(l) 3]

I´ve learnt (from Emi ) , that the flightplan+SID and STARS+ the related rways are typed in for the reason, that you can calculate the fuel and other parameters. Real pilots often use "vectors", guided by ATC to land.

For me it is enough (flying offline) to look for the windarrows in Flight Sim Commander. Always wind from front is guaranteed (if there is wind)

[heffron91 26]

well if you look at the FlightRadar24 you might be surpriced as they not always land in to the wind some times they have tail wind but depends on airport and desity of traffic..

take CPH I have seen traffic arrive from both ends thats not normal for 2 runways besides each other. first one RWY 04R the next 04L after that 22L but seen it in other airports as well. and no it was not due to the wind changsed as the next one was 04L again..

Well i'm not surprised. I just like to do it as real as it gets thus using the runway that is in use, headwind or not. You do not need headwind every time you land/takeoff. Zurich almost always uses 28 for takeoff (except heavies, runway 16) during daytime with up to quite some knots tailwind. There are quite some airports that have preferred runways and they will use them up to a certain amount of knots tailwind.

[Josepla 6]

Hi all:

Well, yes.. I think you have to read a bit... Sometimes in almost all the airports, always are a prefered active runway, and only change if the winds are more than 10 knots. For example LEMD, normally are in north configuration, so the runways in use is 32 L/R for landing and 36 L/R for take off. And when the winds change, (south configuration - winds more than 10 knots), the runways should be 18 L/R for landing and 14 L/R for departure.