Most Common Runway Direction

RotorDude said:
A little elf told me that up north, their airport is located such that all runways are "36".
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Just so you know, there IS an airfield at the South Pole. ICAO code is NZSP. However, it's pretty far from the magnetic South Pole. Runways are 2/20, 12000 feet, with a TACAN.
 
MAKG1 said:
Just so you know, there IS an airfield at the South Pole. ICAO code is NZSP. However, it's pretty far from the magnetic South Pole. Runways are 2/20, 12000 feet, with a TACAN.
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Trying to get my elves confused?
 
azure said:
I thought they were all "18"... ? :dunno:
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The approach ends are all "36". Of course, everyone must be on their toes (hooves?) to avoid a big pileup in the middle...
 
In Michigan, it seems the most UNcommon is 11/29. For a long time, the only 29 I'd ever landed at was KATW in Wisconsin. (And now, thanks to magnetic variation that one has been "advanced" to 12/30).

But at least in SE Michigan, 4/22 is pretty common.
 
Back in the day when I used paper charts regularly (WACs & Sectionals) I noticed that a lot of coastal runways were perpendicular to the coastline. I always assumed this must be due to surface winds generally being that way, too. I never dug any deeper to check my theory.

I would assume that the factors in deciding runway direction would be: 1) prevailing winds, 2) layout and availability of property, 3) terrain and existing obstructions, and 4) other airports nearby.

Down here in the Houston area, we have a lot of 17/35 runways, which kinda fits with the "perpendicular to the coastline" theory. My home field was 17/35, but we had to change to 18/36 a few years back. Getting all those houses moved was really a chore!;)
 
Pilawt said:
Courtesy cars? Clean restrooms? Diner on field?

:D
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There is an NSF science station there, so yes. Well, courtesy snow cats, anyway.

They even have a physician on site.

Probably no avgas, though. And it's a LONG flight from Christchurch, even by C130.
 
Antarctica is the only continent that I have not been to and I am quite alright with that.
 
ARFlyer said:
"What's the most common runway direction?"
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This site will give you prevailing winds by month for each major airport in the CONUS.

Play with it for a while and you will see that the answer varies by location and time of year.

Interestingly, it says this information is why Santa Fe NM has three runways...

http://windhistory.com/station.html?KSAF

-Skip
 
To get the real answer on winds would require access to the Goodyear airships logs.

Cheers
 
ARFlyer said:
Got asked an interesting question over Thanksgiving dinner.

"What's the most common runway direction?"

I started thinking and all I could come up with is maybe 18/36 or 4/22. Which is by far the most common in my local area.

So what say y'all ?
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Globally:

1: 1549
2: 1307
3: 1495
4: 1580
5: 1529
6: 1546
7: 1587
8: 1841
9: 3154
10: 1507
11: 1332
12: 1612
13: 1583
14: 1594
15: 1500
16: 1694
17: 2502
18: 3352

So 18/36 wins with 09/27 as a close second. Those two must certainly be more to do with human brains preferring those orientations than physical constraints.
 
rwellner98 said:
Globally:

1: 1549
2: 1307
3: 1495
4: 1580
5: 1529
6: 1546
7: 1587
8: 1841
9: 3154
10: 1507
11: 1332
12: 1612
13: 1583
14: 1594
15: 1500
16: 1694
17: 2502
18: 3352

So 18/36 wins with 09/27 as a close second. Those two must certainly be more to do with human brains preferring those orientations than physical constraints.
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So how did you convert "1549" into "Runway 18/36"??? I don't get it . . . Never mind, that's how many Runway 1s there are. Doh!
 
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