Good evening.Something interesting happened tonight that I wish to share. Well, I found it interesting, and the joy of these forums is that I get to bore you all with it too!I've flown into my local (NZWN) a hundred times in FS8, and I've always had the same approach path given to me by ATC from TOD. Always from the West, and it never varies.However, tonight I was approaching from the usual direction (small country!) and Lo and Behold, ATC directed me across the face of the airport and gave me an approach from the East.This is unprecedented, and quite frankly, very exciting. (I have no life!!).Question is, why would this happen? Has anyone else had experience of this? Is there a trick here that I don't know about?OK, that's three questions. The only thing I did differently was start my flight from an airport I've never used before, being Taupo. (Which incidentally has the best trout fishing in the world, though I hear Montana in the US isn't too shabby ).Can my approach from TOD vary depending on the airport I leave from?Aside from this, I did NOTHING different. I set up a flight plan that gave me a westerley approach, but ATC decided to throw in a curve ball, which I'm rapt about. Is there something here that I can utilise in other parts of the world?Interested to hear any feedback.CheersAllblack

Wind direction? R-

Nope.I flown into NZWN with wind from every direction know to man, and it's never before changed the westerly approach, just the runway.Thanks for the reply though.Allblack

I usually fly from/to the same dozen airports and FS changed the landing direction a lot of times, depending on the day.The reason must be wind direction. I live less than 500 meters from an international airport and I have observed how traffic goes the opposite direction when the wind changes (a lot). Here the wind is from the north 360 days a year and 5 days from the south. 1 or 2 of those days the wind is strong, and those days the traffic changes.I think that when you download the weather FS automatically sets the ILS direction of the destination airport, and if the wind is strong enough, blowing the same direction the default IFR goes, then it makes you land flying against the wind. Check the wind speed and direction next time it happens to you.Leo

Nope. Don't think it's related to weather either.The runway IFR picked was correct. Wind was from 18 and I flew into R34.The question does not relate to runway selection, but the approach vectors from TOD 100 nms out heading towards the airport.Thanks anyway. Nice chatting.CheersAllblack