This isn't so much aimed at you but others who may find it helpful.I have rarely/never, in real life or simming, used a different runway than that forecast by NOAA. That being said, Eric raises an interesting point in the last post. Though I've never experienced this phenomenon. I use custom Afcads, maybe that's why?

Checking is one thing, expecting is another..... I can't tell you how many times I check and on my approch, I am assigned a different runway...

I had disclaimers. :(

This information (D-ATIS, or digital ATIS) normally comes through some commercial vendor, such as ARINC. You can also get ATC clearances (domestic, and more often, oceanic) through the same system.As far as the whole set-up-your-fmc-to-idiot-proof-your-approach goes, you're not going to get the ATIS until you're closer to descent (even if you could get the D-ATIS through ACARS, you wouldn't act on it too far out - weather changes - I checked in with India last night but approach notified me Kilo was on its way up, and I listened in just before descent). If you fly with online ATC, some controllers might satisfy your crutch and tell you, but you're not likely to get the same treatment in the real world (or from me, for that matter). Frankly, if you ask for the arrival runways 200nm out, center would probably laugh at you in the real world. On VATSIM, I normally say something along the lines of "you're still an hour out, check the ATIS closer to descent for the runway in use." If you really must know, look at the terminal aerodrome forecast, or TAF (aviationweather.gov has a translator to translate the TAF for you if you can't read aviation standard formats, so you really have no excuse) which will give you an idea of what the weather will be about the time you arrive. From there, take a guess. If you get closer and it changes, you should have enough knowledge to know how to change the approach (if it's runway-dependent: FRAZI1 as an example), and runway in the system. Even if changing it through the APP page may be difficult if you've already entered one or the other, you can always just delete the waypoints and hand enter the new one (on the FRAZI1, it's all the same up until the last few fixes anyway). Unless it's a very short hop, you will rarely ever program the entire route in before departure. At most, in normal circumstances (as far as the Boeing flow goes) you INIT, RTE, and then DEP/ARR. If it's a runway-dependent arrival, you set the one you're most likely to get, or you leave it off until you get closer to the arrival airport and add it when you finally get the information.As far as FS weather goes, it's a toss up. FS ATC is even worse. Fly online with a human air traffic controller. Computers are powerful and can process logical streams very quickly, but they are inherently dumb. This is why pilots fly planes and not computers (even if the AP is the one running the flight, I'm still telling it how to run the flight). Humans handle extensions of logic and contingencies far better. Assuming a computer can correctly make ATC decisions off of its already horrible weather model would be a poor assumption.

That's really annoying. Sometimes when I'm in cruise, to far to recieve ATIS broadcast, I check the winds in the map, prepare the approach to the runway I expect to be in use, according to the winds, set the STAR, look for charts in the internet, set the altitude and speed restrictions, add the missing waypoints and everything else. After all the work, the ATC say they'll vector me to the opposite runway. That take all the expectation I had on landing away.

If you used Radar Contact for ATC you could request the runway you've already selected. It will always be granted.Iain Smith

FSX will always use the runway most aligned with the wind. If there was an airport with 27L,C,R and 36, and the wind was 220 @1, FSX will use 36. Even though the 27's would triple capacity. Its actually pretty easy to plan what runway. It will also default to the runway closest to you. So if you get into a tower view at ATL and have some AI program, most arrivals will be on the northernmost runway, some on 10/28, and very few (like 1/30) will be on the middle arrval runway.

That's not entirely true. It will usually default to the runway with an ILS if there is only one. KSAN is a goodexample. If you fly in calm or variable breeze, it will put you on 9. I can't remember the last time a plane actually landed on 9 in real life. 27 is always used in real life and it doesn't have an ILS because of Tx issues. I eventually downloaded a replacement AFCAD file for the airport which puts you on 27 unless there is a Santa Ana of biblical proportions.

That's not entirely true. It will usually default to the runway with an ILS if there is only one. KSAN is a goodexample. If you fly in calm or variable breeze, it will put you on 9. I can't remember the last time a plane actually landed on 9 in real life. 27 is always used in real life and it doesn't have an ILS because of Tx issues. I eventually downloaded a replacement AFCAD file for the airport which puts you on 27 unless there is a Santa Ana of biblical proportions.

Hmm, guess I need to look again. So then do you know at what point the wind speed will override the ILS for a different runway?

If you fly on vatsim and use squawkbox you can simply put in .metar (airports icao code) and then enter.I.E .metar EGLL and the metar code will be sent to you.

Hmm, guess I need to look again. So then do you know at what point the wind speed will override the ILS for a different runway?

I'm not sure, I think it depends on the file for each airport. I really love the KSAN 27 approach and was doing it in the J41 a lot, and just super annoyed that they sent me the other way, so I found the revised one. A guy on AVSIM tested it and he said he could take it to a 60k tailwind before it would switch, which is probably a little severe, but it works for most normal weather. If you want RW accuracy then I think you need to test specific airports. There's any number of airports that will use particular runways unless they can't . Sometimes the info is in the published data about the airport, sometimes you just have to know.

No word from PMDG, perhaps they intend to include it and will tell s in the next update....:(

No word from PMDG, perhaps they intend to include it and will tell s in the next update....:(

I take it you guy's are not setting up the secondary flight plan for quick last minute runway changes? On Vatsim at TOD I tend to brief for the two most likely runways based on the weather reports I get from ACARS. Using Frankfurt for example we wont even know our STAR until shortly after descent and L/R landings can be last minute depending on trafic flow. I always have the other runway on the SEC flightplan ready to activate quickly.Regards

I take it you guy's are not setting up the secondary flight plan for quick last minute runway changes? On Vatsim at TOD I tend to brief for the two most likely runways based on the weather reports I get from ACARS. Using Frankfurt for example we wont even know our STAR until shortly after descent and L/R landings can be last minute depending on trafic flow. I always have the other runway on the SEC flightplan ready to activate quickly.Regards

There's how we're supposed to do it... but its still nice to have a previous knowladge of the Weather at dest.