Arriving at a UK Airport yesterday (Rwys 09 and 27), I received a Metar Report giving the wind direction as 000 degrees at 12kts - which Runway would be the Active?Ken

Runway 27.Wind is from heading 000, so runway 27(0) is almost an headwind.

Is the glass half empty or half full? Winds reported 000 at 12 could almost be a tailwind. Jim Karnhttp://www.precisionmanuals.com/images/forum/pmdg_pf.jpg

What are you guys talking about? It

indeed, i was wrong. Johan has it correct

The answer Ken is dial up your arrival airport ATIS frequency and it will tell you which Rwys are in use. :)

regardsEd

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Winds are true instead of magnetic, and there would be a large W declination in UK, so when landing on 27 (approx 270 magnetic, say 250 true) you would have a component of a tailwind in the crosswind.I believe that at LHR, 27L is used, unless there is more than an 8 knot wind from the east.But the wind is only one factor, as already mentioned, listening to the ATIS (if there is one, on VATSIM there might not be one avail) is the real answer.* Orest

Hey guys,Here is a great site to help out. I use this whenever I get confused...http://www.aeroplanner.com/calculators/avcalcdrift.cfmEnjoy,-Paul

The airport you are referring to is presumably Heathrow which has a preferential runway system: 27L and 27R will normally be used in preference to 09L and 09R when the tailwind component is no greater than 5kts and the surface is dry. This week the landing runway is as follows:15/05/2006 - Before 1500 Local 27R - After 1500 Local 27LThe preferential runway system is described at http://www.vatsim-uk.org/Airport-Informati...cc/EGLL/rwy.aspRob Elliott, EGPE InvernessPSS Airbus Support andAirbus Fleet Training Captain, British Airways Virtual [email protected]http://www.speedbirdonline.co.uk/airbus.htmlhttp://www.bavirtual.co.uk

Hi Rob,Thanks for your reply. The Airport in question was Heathrow, I had the information concerning LHR Preferred Runways at my elbow when contemplating crosswind component. However, after following Paul's link and using that calculator, which told me I had a 11.9 kt crosswind and a -0.3 kt symbolic tailwind, it occurred to me that all I needed to know was - what is the PMDG B738NG's maximum crosswind limit; which is 20kts Autoland and 36kts Manual. So, as you pointed out the correct rwy was 27L. at the time of landing.All the replies are appreciated; I particularly like the "half empty/half full glass :)Ken,BAW0088Somerset, Englandp.s we are getting ready to see if we can get a sight of the A380, as it heads for LHR after a 'planned flyover' at Bristol. There is a lot of cloud though.

And the very good reason for using the 27 runways even with a slight tailwind is I suppose because quieter landing aircraft are coming in over the built-up areas of London, whereas the noisy departing aircraft are heading out over "rural" Middlesex and Berkshire.