Taking off with the wind, not against

[Guest]

I was nearby Burbank airport a few weeks ago and saw this happen. A Fedex A300 taxied to 15 when the winds were coming from the north and everyone else was using 33. Even the UPS A300 took off from 33, but that fedex waited about 25 minutes, and finally was given clearance to takeoff on 15 with a tailwind. Very cool to watch, looking at all the traffic in the pattern coming into the usual 33 approach while the fedex guy hung out on the other side just waiting

[mgh 89]

At Heathrow (EGLL) the procedures state:Preferential Runway Systema in weather conditions where the tail wind is no greater than 5 knots on the main Runway 27R and 27L, these runways will normally be used in preference to Runways 09R and 09L, provided the runway surface is dry.b when the associated crosswind component on these main runways exceeds 25 knots, Runway 23 will normally be made available if there is a lesser crosswind component affecting it.c Pilots who ask permission to use the runway into wind when in accordance with these procedures, Runway 27R and 27L are in use should understand that their arrival or departure may be delayed.Note item c.

[Guest jboweruk]

It would also depend on the airport and numerous other restrictions, which is why some airports cannot be certified for certain aircraft, although the runway technically might be long enough. At Heathrow there is no way on this Earth any controller will let you takeoff or land in the opposite direction to everybody else. On top of that sometimes at LCY or LHR they are using runways with the wind for noise abatement reasons. a plane landing is by nature much quieter than one taking off, and if you look at I believe it to be Heathrow's website it shows the times of change for active runways, where by in the morning for example they will takeoff and land in one direction, while in the afternoon the opposite. That happened in '04 when I went to Fairford with BA on a 747, we took off facing London and landed facing away.