KLGA Operations.

[brucek 38]

Is there a preferred or "most unsually used" departure and arrival runway at KLGA? I see they have intersecting runways so I assume they "shoot the gap" and deploy departing traffic on the intersecting runway to the arrivals. A predominant wind or a preferred runway at KJFK or KEWR might dictate which runways are most commonly used.Thanks,Bruce.

[Guest]

Hey Bruce,LGA's configuration depends on the winds, and JFK's configuration. The best configurations at LGA are departing 4, landing 31 or departing 31, landing 22. Rwy 13/31 is the typical departure runway. Departures never use 22 unless the winds are extreme warranting 22 usage. They try to avoid landing rwy 4 for noise abatement, however 4 will be used if necessary such as prevailing winds and a minimal ceilings. Landing rwy 13 is sometimes used with the river visual approach, but is not used for an ILS approach unless it is forced to by JFK using the ILS 13L approach. This is because it causes conflicts with TEB and EWR traffic.Another problem is if JFK is using the 22's, LGA cannot use the LOC 31 approach and must use the expressway visual 31 or the 22 approaches. LGA tries as much as possible to use both runways and "shoot the gap". When they are forced onto one rwy, their operations are significantly reduced and the major bottlenecks on the taxiways occur.As for the most commonly used rwy, in the colder seasons is rwy 31 and 22, in the warmer seasons its 4 and 13.

[brucek 38]

Thanks- some great information there.Bruce.