Non control airport...How to.

[Bruce]

Hi top of the the day to all...How do you determine which direction to take off from a non control airport and no wind sack to show the direction of the wind..Any help is appreciated there a a few airport i take of from that dont have either.

[Wingo]

You can hit Shift+Z and it will display the wind velocity. I'm quite sure that's the only way, although I think the Map may tell you wind conditions.

[Brett_Henderson]

You can listent to AWOS/ASOS if the field has one of them.., or you can always check the wind yourself ( Shift+Z), and then pick your runway...


Believe it or not; at a real, un-controlled field, there is no "rule". If your plane and the runway are up to it, you can take off with a tailwind... It's just not a good idea (aside from the fact that any other traffic will be in conflict with you).

Same goes for pattern entry and landing. "Legally", you can leave your radio off and just barge your way in. (don't do it, though    )..

[Wingo]

Also, in the real world before take-off you can just step out and lick your finger to find the wind

[BFMF]

[quote]Same goes for pattern entry and landing. "Legally", you can leave your radio off and just barge your way in. (don't do it, though

[Brett_Henderson]

But even so, aren't you still required to yield the right of way, observe and enter the flow of traffic, and use common sense?

Oh yes.. and if the pattern is full; or even if there's just a guy turning base-leg at the same time you're entering the pattern on the base-leg; the rules of right-of-way apply... But you are not required to announce your position and intentions.. you're not required to enter the pattern, 45 degrees into the downwind-leg. Oddly enough, if your courses conflict on that base-leg; YOU as the the aircraft entering on that base-leg has the right-of-way, because you're the aircraft to the right (left hand pattern).. even though HE took the time to enter on the downwind. You aren't consdidered a landing aircraft (having the ultimate right-of-way)until on final.

This is hypothetical, because courtesy and common sense normally prevail.. and pattern entry is the fodder of many heated debate. I'll be getting to that soon, in the Flight School threads.

[J.]

before you start your flight check the weather report in FS, it will give you a heading and velocity of the wind allowing you to make a decision on which runway to use for the smoothest takeoff

[Bruce]

Thanks guys for the replys.

[Bruce]

I Hit shift Z and got this result.... WIND 6 MAG @ 5 KTS.....If the choice of run way is 27 or 9 waht would be the correct one to use for take off?

[Wingo]

so the winds is 006/5 and you have a choice of runway 090 or 270. In this situation it really doesn't matter, the wind is light but almost pure cross wind. If you wanted to be pedantic, you'ld go for 090 as it would give you the slightest component of headwind.

[Mobius]

If your plane and the runway are up to it, you can take off with a tailwind.

Jeez, who would do that...?  I know I wouldn't do anything as dumb as take-off or land with the wind.  Especially while on my first solo cross-country flight as two national aerobatics championship contenders are waiting to take-off.  That would just be horribly embarrassing.

[Wingo]

well I know one example. If you have a 5 knot tailwind and a 2% downslope, your take off run will be shorter at the same weight as using the head wind and up slope. So in fact you'ld be able to take off with a greater load. Only thing to consider is obstacle clearance as your climb angle would be reduced.

[BFMF]

so the winds is 006/5 and you have a choice of runway 090 or 270. In this situation it really doesn't matter, the wind is light but almost pure cross wind. If you wanted to be pedantic, you'ld go for 090 as it would give you the slightest component of headwind.

Now in real life, if the wind was low and wouldn't make much of a difference, an FBO/Unicom station could have you land on a preferred runway. Here at my local airport, the wind usually comes out of the south, favouring runway 20. But when there is little or no wind, runway 20 is still the preferred runway.

But since we're talking about the flightsim, I guess the only thing you can do in that situation is take everything else into account and use common sense

[reider]

Same goes for pattern entry and landing. "Legally", you can leave your radio off and just barge your way in. (don't do it, though)..

A few years back whilst flying the pattern with a friend in his 4 seater Piper Cherokee, Keith had contacted the tower at EGCB Barton-Manchester to land.  Barton has 4 grass strips though you only ever see one in use 27L/09R-the diagonal to and from the tower.  Occasional use of runway 32 as well but mainly the helicopters fly this direction and land near to the fuel tank.  As we made the approach near to the tower, another plane cut in on us and landed-with no radio contact whatsoever.  Keith explained that ex war pilots who had their own plane were allowed to fly with no comms radio, and this was often the result!!!

Just been working on my FSX version of EGCB today, stopped traffic on the other runways and directed it to the ones above.  Added a tower too.  Added light aircraft a while ago as FSX leaves it empty, its normally a busy club airfield.  Need to add some more traffic now they`re using the correct runway.  I`m using the new ADE for FSX, the AFCAD editor-excellent program and very easy to use.

http://www.airportdesigneditor.co.uk/

Reider

[Hagar]

If your plane and the runway are up to it, you can take off with a tailwind.

Jeez, who would do that...?