Hi,

when ActiveSky reports runways "in use", it follows the exact logic the internal fsx/p3d atc has when determining which runway the AI (and/or user aircraft) will be assigned. So, in 99.9% of cases the active runway reported by AS is what you'll get from the internal fsx/p3d atis.

Unfortunately, there are limitations in the way the internal sim atc handles parallel active runways. And depending on the conditions (calm or variable winds, cross wind with slight magnetic errors in the scenery bgl etc), you may end up getting active runway(s) (from ActiveSky/simAtc) that is/are different to the ones reported by real world sources, even if wx conditions match 100%.

 

What I hate most, when I am on landing approach and I have to realize that ai a/c take off into my direction.

Therefore, when I am on approach (some miles before TOD), I open the P3D map and check the wind conditions at the destination airport. This works good for single or two of parallel runways. If the wind is very weak (< 5 kts) or If it is a large, more complex airport, I save my flight, open a new flight at the destination airport to see where ai a/c take off and land .... Then I reload my saved flight and continue ... and hoping that wind does not change too much at the destination. The latter approach is a bit cumbersum but it works in most cases. Though, I wish there would be an easier method.

Just check the wind at the airport in question. Done.

22 hours ago, FlightSimmer68 said:

Weird. It works fine for EHAM when I just tried it.

it is precisely the opposite that a re in use. 18 R and Left.

On 2/9/2018 at 6:15 PM, threegreen said:

Just check the wind at the airport in question. Done.

That's not enough in every case, for example when wind = calm

On 9-2-2018 at 5:34 PM, Nemo said:

What I hate most, when I am on landing approach and I have to realize that ai a/c take off into my direction.

 

Yes, that’s one of the reasons I haven’t flown with AI in a while. I wish LM could somehow make AFCADs dynamic - and set runways to open or close through a wind direction and speed logic that can be edited within the AFCAD.

On 2/10/2018 at 10:17 PM, Nemo said:

That's not enough in every case, for example when wind = calm

In that case what you can do (before a flight, just in case winds are going to be calm) is clearing all weather/setting wind to calm and see what runway the sim puts you on when selecting the active.

7 hours ago, threegreen said:

In that case what you can do (before a flight, just in case winds are going to be calm) is clearing all weather/setting wind to calm and see what runway the sim puts you on when selecting the active.

That's more or less what I said in my post ...

On 09/02/2018 at 6:42 AM, GSalden said:

Flightradar24 ...

This has been an issue in vatsim for a few years.  That the real world maybe using one runway,  due to real world winds, but the vatsim winds are doing something different so the other runway should be in use. If you .wallop the sup will tell you anyone can do what they want at a uncontrolled airport. 

The other issue on vatsim is the Saturday morning 9 year olds messing around.  I actually now avoid GIB, INN, SZG, FNC and CFU on Saturday and Sunday mornings because kids are doing circuits in 747s at Gib landing on runway 9.

 

On 10/02/2018 at 9:17 PM, Nemo said:

That's not enough in every case, for example when wind = calm

Especially if you got an aerosoft junk afcad. 

1 hour ago, tooting said:

This has been an issue in vatsim for a few years.  That the real world maybe using one runway,  due to real world winds but the vatsim winds are doing something different

If you use ActiveSky weather while on VATSIM and deselect 'VATSIM weather' in the AS options, you get wind conditions consistent with real world, so FR24 is usually always a good indicator.  I have often compared the two sources and as far as surface wind is concerned, it is not usually that different.

6 minutes ago, ErichB said:

If you use ActiveSky weather while on VATSIM and deselect 'VATSIM weather' in the AS options, you get wind conditions consistent with real world, so FR24 is usually always a good indicator.  I have often compared the two sources and as far as surface wind is concerned, it is not usually that different.

I know Erich but it does cause confusion as I thought everyone should be "singing of the same hymn sheet"   I think theres a 30min delay from vatsim weather and what the met off, nws winds are ??

 

 

1 hour ago, tooting said:

I think theres a 30min delay from vatsim weather and what the met off, nws winds are ??

Not especially - these days the VATSIM METARs generally update pretty much as soon as they are published (ie roughly every 30 minutes or so but exceptionally more regularly).

I do however agree that whilst FR24 is useful as a guide, fundamentally one should really use the VATSIM METAR and local documentation (preferred runways etc - generally found in the AIP textual data) to determine runway in use; it's a much bigger operation to switch ends at a busy airport in real life than it is on VATSIM and so in some cases it is not unusual for RW to retain a configuration with quite a lot of tailwind etc. rather than switch.

VATSIM pilots are generally very averse to any sort of tailwind and if you try and follow real life in that situation you are almost guaranted to come face to face with someone.

As always, at an uncontrolled aerodrome the Rules of the Air state that you should to conform to what others are doing; in essence, by all means have a look at FR24 if it helps your planning before you get there, but ultimately one should establish what the majority of others are doing and endeavour to fit in, regardless of what is going on in real life.

16 minutes ago, skelsey said:

I do however agree that whilst FR24 is useful as a guide, fundamentally one should really use the VATSIM METAR and local documentation (preferred runways etc - generally found in the AIP textual data)

Agree.  I usually use the .WX ICAO  command to  establish the prevailing surface wind, hoping it'll be consistent with ASP4.  Usually, it is.

While everyone's suggestions are spot on, I've recently started logging in to https://www.liveatc.net/ and get the first hand info current runways from there.