Which runway?

meritflyer

Well-Known Member
Unless there's a AC, reg, or section in the AIM that I am not aware of, it's up to the pilot in command to determine at an uncontrolled airport which runway is best suited for the wind conditions (or as specified by the A/FD which might I add is not regulatory).

The scenario presented to me today by another instructor's student was, he wanted to land at Page Municipal in Page, AZ on their 2200' runway for some short field practice. In Page, they have a 5950' runway (15/33) that intersects the short runway (7/25). The winds were somewhat favoring using the longer runway and would create a near direct crosswind for him on the shorter runway. However, he felt it was no issue.

While in the pattern for the short runway (7/25) he self announces he's joined the down wind only to get a return on the radio by a 135 pilot that's 15 miles from joining the downwind for the long runway. Needless to say, they had a spat on the radio over the runway that was to be used and apparently, threats to call the FAA were made. The student backed down and landed the longer runway.

If the student wanted to land the small, crosswind runway I think he was perfectly well within his 'rights'.

Thoughts?
 
He can land on any runway he wants at a non towered airport. There is no "active" runway.

As long as they work out the traffic flow, the 135 pilot had no right to complain.
 
The beauty of uncontrolled airfields are exactly that-they're uncontrolled. Who cares what runway anybody lands on? If the other guy wanted to land on the long runway then have at it. If the student wanted to continue landing the short runway then he should have continued to make his call outs so others would know where he was at. Other than that, if people want to call the FAA I'd be the first to land and give the guy my info and take his.
 
The beauty of uncontrolled airfields are exactly that-they're uncontrolled. Who cares what runway anybody lands on? If the other guy wanted to land on the long runway then have at it. If the student wanted to continue landing the short runway then he should have continued to make his call outs so others would know where he was at. Other than that, if people want to call the FAA I'd be the first to land and give the guy my info and take his.
:yeahthat:

Who gives a damn? At the airport I fly to almost daily you have a north south runway and an east west runway, when you have 3 or 4 birds from all directions landing you may have one guy land straight into the south, then hold short of the east west runway while another guy lands east west and pulls off to the ramp, when both of them are down a guy will land to the north. Who cares, just talk to the guy.

In fact, to go a step farther, its an uncontrolled field, the student doesn't even have to talk to the guy, or self announce or anything. He could just land, and provide his own separation. Not that its the most safe proposition, but there are plenty of guys up here with cubs with no electrical system, or who have a hand held to get out of anchorage, then go silent once they hit the city limits. What was the 135 guy driving if you don't mind my asking?
 
:yeahthat:

Who gives a damn? At the airport I fly to almost daily you have a north south runway and an east west runway, when you have 3 or 4 birds from all directions landing you may have one guy land straight into the south, then hold short of the east west runway while another guy lands east west and pulls off to the ramp, when both of them are down a guy will land to the north. Who cares, just talk to the guy.

In fact, to go a step farther, its an uncontrolled field, the student doesn't even have to talk to the guy, or self announce or anything. He could just land, and provide his own separation. Not that its the most safe proposition, but there are plenty of guys up here with cubs with no electrical system, or who have a hand held to get out of anchorage, then go silent once they hit the city limits. What was the 135 guy driving if you don't mind my asking?

I fly out of a non-towered airport, and we have some self righteous pilots who think that their way is right and need to tell you over the radio. I believe it was a Citation Shares pilot who chewed me for entering a left downwind for 27 when he had called 30 (yes, Thirty) mile final for 9. I don't get into it with them anymore. If they try to get pissy on the radio, I just vacate the area or land and get out of the way.

The pilots who do this stuff always seem to be driving a jet (occasionally a King Air) and I'm going to be very careful to not do that crap when I am flying jets on a regular basis. A lot of them also seem nervous to not be in radar coverage or have a tower to tell them what to do.

Oh well, I'm done stepping on toes.
 
Probably just one of those habits of a group that has a few too many type-a's maybe.
 
Interesting scenario considering that in my experience, 135 pilots will land on the runway that puts them closest to the FBO they are going to no matter what others in the pattern are doing.
 
He can land on any runway he wants at a non towered airport. There is no "active" runway.

As long as they work out the traffic flow, the 135 pilot had no right to complain.

X2

This is a rather common occurance at an airport I'd fly to on occasion. On weekends there was usually a fair amount of glider activity and the tow planes would always use the crosswind runway since it was right next to the designated glider area on the field. It made the pattern interesting at times (you had to be VERY vigilant, it wasn't beyond them to cut across right in front of you if they thought they could get away with it) but there's nothing illegal about it.
 
I believe it was a Citation Shares pilot who chewed me for entering a left downwind for 27 when he had called 30 (yes, Thirty) mile final for 9. I don't get into it with them anymore.


"Traffic for Rwy 9, this is Cessna 123AB. I have a flat tire and am stuck on the runway."

Karma is a wonderful thing.



In reality, if you are doing something unuseual like parcitcing crosswind landings on another runway, you should excecise common courtsey and stay out of others way. That dosen't mean that you are doing somthing wrong, just that you need to be polite.
 
Back
Top