6 ms·
Runways are aligned with the prevailing winds in the area, such that aircraft can land along either direction depending on the wind. The uphill/downhill slope
by coredog64 10y ago
Runways are aligned with the prevailing winds in the area, such that aircraft can land along either direction depending on the wind. The uphill/downhill slope thing would require twice as many runways per airport lest pilots be stuck trying to take off uphill into the wind.
- lfam 10y agoIt might be a disadvantage to take off uphill, but I believe that it's desirable to take off into a head wind. The wind generates some of the lift required for take off, and by taking off sooner there is more runway available in case you need to make an emergency landing.
- masklinn 10y ago> It might be a disadvantage to take off uphill, but I believe that it's desirable to take off into a head wind. Both takeoff and landing are safer and more efficient in headwind, since lift is a function of airspeed an increase in airspeed (from headwinds) a larger margin or security or lower groundspeed in both situations. GP's point is if your runways are slanted (rather than flat), instead of having both takeoff and landing use the same runway in the same direction (headwinds) you now need a runway slanting into the headwind (for takeoffs) and one slanting away from it (for landings).
- lfam 10y agoAh, I misunderstood. Thanks for explaining.
- zachrose 10y agoBut what about a runway where the wind almost never changes direction? I imagine LAX is like that, being perpendicular to the coast.
- majormajor 10y agoI don't know about other coastal areas, but the winds in SoCal will frequently blow either from the water or to the water due to other meteorological factors: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Ana_winds https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Ana_winds