Sunandan From India, joined Jun 2005, 33 posts, RR: 0 Posted (2 years 6 months 1 day 8 hours ago) and read 822 times:
Hi,
This has been a huge mystery to me ever since I saw the first pic from Juliana airport. Why don't they use RWY 27 for departures? It makes more sense to take-off towards the open sea rather than at a mountain, isn't it?
Any logic or reasons for not using RWY 27???
Cheers!
SS
You can either work for a living, or you can fly airplanes. I'd rather fly!
Dreamflight767 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 1, posted (2 years 6 months 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 778 times:
They do you use it, just not often. During the week I was there, they used it just a few times. I specifically recall a BWIA 738 departing from 27. The a/c don't seem to have a performance problem going toward the mountain and the wind seems to favor a departure in that direction as well.
I would assume the heavier aircraft, IE AF A340 and the KLM 747 might have some problems, as they would be loaded to the brim with fuel and passengers, this might be a reason.
Fokker115 From United States, joined Mar 2005, 13 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (2 years 6 months 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 735 times:
I believe the quick answer is trade winds. East to northeasterly winds are prevalent in the Carribean. That said, given that aircraft perform much better (get up quicker) taking off into the wind, runway 10 is used most of the time. When winds are lighter, or in certain weather patters, reversed, 27 may be used.
Another example of this can be seen in San Juan, where landings are mostly done on runway's 8 and 10. Same reason.
TIA From Albania, joined Mar 2006, 321 posts, RR: 1 Reply 4, posted (2 years 6 months 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 733 times:
They don't use the 27 for T/O because it might interfere with approach patterns.
Quoting Boeingguy1 (Reply 2): I would assume the heavier aircraft, IE AF A340 and the KLM 747 might have some problems, as they would be loaded to the brim with fuel and passengers, this might be a reason.
I don't know what you are trying to say, but the heavies don't have a problem with the mountains either.
American762 From United States, joined Apr 2004, 160 posts, RR: 0 Reply 8, posted (2 years 6 months 19 hours ago) and read 542 times:
That doesnt have much to do with it, anyway, if the AF 340's can handle the hill, take it not as well as the 757 rocket take-offs, theres no reason not use it, especially if winds are more preferable. While I was there, I had the privelage of seeing a Curacao DC-9, a Falcon 2000, and an AA 757 take the Rwy 27 departure straight out.
Pan Am has a place of its' own. You call it the world, we call it home.
LTU932 From Germany, joined Jan 2006, 11020 posts, RR: 45 Reply 11, posted (2 years 6 months 16 hours ago) and read 472 times:
Quoting TIA (Reply 4): They don't use the 27 for T/O because it might interfere with approach patterns.
Along with the issue of prevailing winds, that's one of the reasons. With those mountains at the end of Runway 09, it's also very difficult for an aircraft such as a 757 or 767 to land on Runway 27. It's safe to say that landings on 27 are even rarer than takeoffs from 27.
Quoting TIA (Reply 4): I don't know what you are trying to say, but the heavies don't have a problem with the mountains either.
That's because 747s and also 777s are heavily weight restricted and have to make a fuel stop before continuing to Europe. 767s, A330s and A340-200/-300s can fly nonstop back to places such as AMS and/or CDG. Don't know about the L-1011, DC-10 and MD-11, but I'm sure those can also fly nonstop to Europe to SXM.
Quoting Lamedianaranja (Reply 10): AF also goes to one of the other French islands I believe, before going back to CDG.
That was the case when AF brought their 747s to SXM. With the A340 however, they can make it back nonstop to CDG. SS does make a fuel stop in Guadeloupe or somewhere on the French Carribean Islands since they use 747s. On some occasions though, SS operates the A330-200, which can make the trip nonstop to ORY.
Zu fettigem Käse und kalorienreicher Kunstmarmelade, nehme ich einen Doppelkorn.
787KQ From United States, joined Mar 2006, 435 posts, RR: 0 Reply 12, posted (2 years 6 months 11 hours ago) and read 391 times:
Quoting LTU932 (Reply 11): Quoting TIA (Reply 4):
They don't use the 27 for T/O because it might interfere with approach patterns.
Along with the issue of prevailing winds, that's one of the reasons. With those mountains at the end of Runway 09, it's also very difficult for an aircraft such as a 757 or 767 to land on Runway 27. It's safe to say that landings on 27 are even rarer than takeoffs from 27.
Wrong!
Its the prevailing winds just as at other airports in that part of the Caribbean, hills or no hills: STX, STT, SJU, Antigua, Tortola, etc.
Even though its one of the most popular airports in the region, its not busy enough to interfere with landing patterns, if it made sense to takeoff that direction. So when the winds change, takeoffs are in that direction, though fewer landings reverse. Same situation at STT, though except for FAA testing I can't recall commercial jets landing over the hills.
TWAL1011727 From United States, joined Mar 2006, 411 posts, RR: 0 Reply 13, posted (2 years 6 months 7 hours ago) and read 318 times:
Quoting Mdaigle (Reply 5): It likely also saves time to taxi right to the end of 09 instead of backtracking to the end of 27 and then doing a 180deg turn to takeoff.
Ummm...when they land on rwy 09 they have to back taxi anyways to get back to the terminal .
Quoting TIA (Reply 4): They don't use the 27 for T/O because it might interfere with approach patterns.
That's tough luck....Its the actual winds that drive what direction takeoffs and landings are - not prevailing....Prevailing winds are used in selecting which way a runway will be oriented when built (when there's available land.)
All/Most airlines takeoff/landing data is based on a headwind and adds penalties if you have a tailwind up to 10 knots. If over 10 knots tailwind ops are prohibited.
KD
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