Hi,I've been wondering about this for awhile and was wondering if some of you R/W ATC guys on here might know about how assigning landing runways to airliner traffic works.Specifically, does ATC 'talk' with airline dispatch or anything like that in regards to which company flights will be assigned a particular landing runway at major terminals, or are landing runways simply assigned to inbound aircraft based on winds and local traffic conditions?If preferred landing runways are indeed granted to airline traffic, does this happen via the filed flight plan, or does ATC uplink this information to the aircraft via ACARS well before the approach phase begins, etc?The reason I ask is twofold: When watching airline cockpit documentaries, the aircrews seem to brief for a specific landing runway/approach even before they are clear to begin initial descent from cruise altitude, as if they know beforehand what runway to expect. During this time they are still with the SUPER center controller. Also, when I am landing at airports like Dallas or Los Angeles in real-life, we always seems to land on runways immediately convenient to the company's terminal(s), with the minimum amount of taxi-time required. Just wondering if all of this is coincidence or planned. :) Also, I would utilize the real technique when using Radar Contact and FS9, so I hope an inquiry like this is pertinent to the forum here! :)Thanks!

To get a cross perspective from the airline operators I suggest going to www.airliners.net, forums, tech-ops, and register. Search first on ACARS and if no thread answers then post your question.You should be looking more for a response from a dispatch department (where data for ACARS is usually processed) or pilot.I forgot what the project is called but in the US the FAA is developing some kind of data link to aircraft as well.At some airports runway specific STARS are used and enroute controllers in the lower levels need to direct aircraft to "gateways" that may not be common to all runways. They are in communication with approach controllers who in turn are in communication with ground who are in turn at times communicating airline ramp controllers if they exist.Sometimes pilots will request a specific runway of multiple actives to reduce taxi distance. Pilots know generally what traffic conditions exist from monitoring ATC and experience pending weather and usual schedules.First consideration, of course, is landing traffic density on multiple active landing runways and traffic can not be allowed to back up due to preferred runways.I'm not an ATC controller but in reading about r/w circumstances and listening to r/w communications at KMSP this is what I've learned.

Hi Ronzie,Great stuff, thanks very much for taking the time to make such a nicely detailed reply! I learning something new every day.