RUNWAY ORIENTATION

CE7002 Section-A
SATISH SAJJA
 RUNWAY ORIENTATION
• Runways will be oriented in the direction of prevailing
winds.

• Head wind: It is the direction of wind opposite to the

direction of landing and taking-off, which provides greater
lift on the wings of aircraft when it is taking-off.

• The aircraft rises much earlier above the ground and in

shorter length of runway, similarly during landing head
wind provides braking effect and aircraft comes to stop in a
smaller length of runway.
Cross wind component and wind coverage

• The wind does not blow in the same direction

through out the year.
• It makes certain angle with the centre line of the
runway, the component along the direction of
runway is Vcosθ and component normal to the
centre line of runway is Vsin θ.
• This normal component is known as cross wind,
this may interrupt safe landing and take-off.
• Maximum permissible cross wind depends on size of
aircraft and wing configuration.
• FAA recommends cross wind should not exceed
15kmph for smaller aircrafts and mixed traffic it
should not exceed 25kmph.
• ICAO recommends for bigger aircrafts it should not
exceed 35 kmph.
• Wind coverage : It is the percentage of time in a year
during which the cross wind component remains
within the limits as specified by FAA and ICAO.
 WIND ROSE
• Definition: The wind data i.e., direction,
duration and intensity are graphically
represented by a diagram called wind rose.
• Wind data should be collected for at least 5years
and preferably 10years, so as to obtain accurate
data.
• Data should be collected near the site selected as
wind conditions vary considerably with location.
 WIND DATA

• A typical wind data is given below.

• In the table duration of wind for any one
direction covers at an angle of 22.5 degrees as
shown in the figure.
• It is assumed that wind may come from any
point within the 22.5degrees sector.
WIND DATA
 WIND ROSE DIAGRAMS

• Two types
– Type I : Showing direction and duration of wind

– Type II : Showing direction, duration and intensity

of wind.
Radial lines – wind direction Each circle- duration of wind

Type I Wind Rose

• The best direction of runway is usually along the
direction of the longest line on wind rose diagram.

• Calm period: Percentage of time during which wind

intensity is less than 6.4 kmph is known as calm
period. It does not influence the operations of
landing and take off.

• Calm period = 100- 86.5 = 13.5%

• If deviation of wind direction upto (22.5+11.25) from the
direction of landing and takeoff is permissible, Percentage
of time in a year during which the runway can safely be
used for landing and take off will obtained by summing the
percentages of time along NNW, N, NNE, SSE, S and SSW
directions (57% from given example)
• Total percentage of time therefore comes to be
= 57 % + 13.5 % (calm period)
=70.5 %
• This type of wind rose does not account effect of cross
wind.
Type II Wind Rose
 TYPE II Wind Rose diagram

• Each circle represents wind intensity to some

scale.
• Values in each segment are percentage of
time in a year during which the wind, having
particular intensity, blows from respective
direction.