I hadn't played around with SunSkyJet's KPHL much in FSX until recently. Can anyone enlighten me to the typical RW arrivals? I know they are usually in west ops and will fly online as much as possible...which isn't possible very often. For example, the JIIMS2 arrival has instructions to fly all the way on to a downwind, but says to plan for radar vectors. How much of the STAR is typically flown, etc.

Awesome scenery isn't it? Yes, PHL is in a west flow probably 70-80 percent of the time, departing 27L, and props often depart 35 from TWY K. Landing 27R, 35, and 26. East flow is usually wind dependent obviously, or when winds are fairly calm and visibility is poor, since 9R is the only fully equipped instrument runway, good down to CAT III minimums although weather is rarely that bad. East ops depart 8 and 9L for the most part with occasional 17 departures, landing 9R and 17.

 

As far as I know, arrivals are pretty much flown as published, with radar vectors to final. Gotta love the PAATS2 arrival with its CHEAZ, STAYK, and RROLL fixes!

Since I live near KPHL, for basically all my life, I have a soft spot for this airport. Ever since I was in my early teens, and long before the internet could allow me to more easily figure out how traffic patterns work at the airport, I have always looked to the skies to figure out the departure/arrival patterns here, and have the traffic behavior and most of the ILS frequencies and SID/STARS memorized. I once even thought about becoming an Air Traffic Controller at KPHL! I live directly under the departure path for airliners that take off from 27L and make a turn north to intercept the PTW (Pottstown PA) VOR, using the normal "west ops". I also watch traffic arriving pass over my house using the BOJID1 STAR (with the SCOOL/KYILL transition to runway 09R) when east ops are in effect. It is almost like my house was purposely built where it is to give me a front row seat to KPHL traffic spotting! Needless to say, Sunsky's KPHL is my most frequented airport in FSX, and allows me to see first hand what all the traffic flying over my home sees on a regular basis.

 

Being quite the KPHL nerd, I have followed with great interest the introduction of RNAV STARS, which have replaced older STARS by eliminating any reference to a ground based VOR and use brand new waypoints. I don't know if any other KPHL fanatics are viewing this thread, but here's an obscure fact: about two or so years ago when the RNAV stars were introduced, KPHL briefly offered some RNAV SIDs, but they were recinded supposedly due to bad planning.

 

Sorry for the digression, but yes, West ops is the predominant traffic flow as westerly winds are the norm. When the weather turns sour, or winds shift to the east, east ops are enforce.

 

West Ops: Runway 27L departures (mainline jets, some regional jets) Runway 27R arrivals (mainline jets, some regional jets) Runway 35 departures and arrivals (regional jets, GA and commuter props) Runway 26 arrivals (GA and commuter props)

 

East Ops: Runway 09L departures (mainline jets, some regional jets) Runway 09R arrivals (mainline jets, some regional jets) Runway 17 departures and arrivals (regional jets, GA and commuter props) Runway 08 departures (GA and commuter props)

 

One more note, as is normal for most STARS at big airports, ATC often gives their own vectors or shortcuts as needed to speed up or slow down traffic flow depending on the circumstances. For example, when referencing the BOJID1 STAR shown below (probably the most used arrival here), ATC will often instruct pilots to skip the HIFAL and EYRIE waypoints and just fly direct to FERUS, or may turn them to 180 degrees earlier then FERUS to intercept the ILS27R FAF (JALTO)

 

 

 

So, to answer your question about how much the STAR is flown, usually most of it is flown but once it says to expect radar vectors, expect to continue on previous heading or turn directly to base to intercept FAF depending on what you feel is right based on the time of your flight, or what the online controller says.

 

Anyhow, I'm excited to finally be able to answer one of these posts about real ops with real firsthand knowledge. I always reference real ops for any airport I fly in FSX with the NGX, as I find it very satisfying to by the book and as realistically as I can possibly manage. I also helped Sunsky as a beta tester for the airport, mainly with airline codes for the AFCAD, and to assist with the utilization of separate AFCADS for the East vs. West runway scenarios. I hope you take advantage of that feature, the AFCAD switcher, as FSX will only offer realistic use of the runways if you choose one of the two AFCADS and install into the library before you start FSX. Sorry for the long winded reply, but KPHL operations has always been a huge passion of mine, in addition to my love for the virtual world of FSX.

Thanks for the replies. Helps me get up to speed a little bit on an airport I'm not at all used to.

Since I live near KPHL, for basically all my life, I have a soft spot for this airport.

 

For 13 years I lived on the "other side" from where you are. Not too far from KVAY in Mt Holly, NJ, where I flew from occasionally in GA. What a well written and accurate response you wrote! I think your breakdown on frequency of West OPS vs East OPS is pretty accurate, and you live close enough to monitor it. I flew in and out of KPHL in my business travel during the period I lived in that area and as a passenger I only remember a small handful of rare occasions when my flight landed 09. Funny, I moved from there to Orange County, CA, and flew in and out of Orange County/John Wayne (KSNA) and experienced similar experience with what seemed like a 90/10 relationship between South OPS vs North OPS.

 

It should be pointed out with the SunSkyJet KPHL that there is a batch file that must be run to switch from West OPS to East OPS and vice versa. I am not too far away now that I have retired and base myself out of KESN at Easton, MD. KPHL from SunSkyJet is the best FSX airport I own, and I own quite a number of them, all USA.