Aviation; Does wind direction determine the final approach direction?

Question

Aviation; Does wind direction determine the final approach direction?

Answer 1

Landing approaches are always made as nearly directly into the wind as possible when the wind speed is significant.

Answer 2

Wind, surrounding terrain, fog, runway gradient, nearby weather, and neighborhood noise restrictions.

Answer 3

final approach course? no

final approach heading and aircraft's configuration? yes

final approach direction? have never heard that term b4.

^^

Answer 4

Yes it is the major determining factor!

Answer 5

Usually.  Landing into the wind is the preferred scenario.

Answer 6

Final approach 'direction' may be determined due to weather conditions and landing aids i.e. an ILS approach followed by a circling visual approach to a non instrument runway.

Actual landing direction is determined usually by windspeed. However, some airports will have a preferred runway for noise or other reasons and commonly up to 5 knots tailwind  will be allowed.

The landing speed of an aircraft is increased significantly with a strong tailwind e.g. an aircraft landing with a 12 knot tailwind is actually landing with a groundspeed of 24 knots more than if it landed into a 12 knot headwind. Having seen a B737 landing with an 18 knot tailwind, it uses a lot of runway.

Answer 7

Yes, to a degree.

Airports configure the active runway to tailor their approaches for the aircraft to land in a headwind, as this allows for a slower approach speed (ground speed, that is, a/c are flying indicated speed), which result in shorter landing distances. The wind may not always be a headwind, but an airport will try to have the aircraft land as much as possible into a headwind, but sometimes aircraft will land in a crosswind, say if they need the ILS or the runway over 5500'.  

Also if the wind is light, many large airports will not change the runway direction, and will have the a/c land in a light tailwind due to the time that it takes to reroute all the aircraft to a different approach end of the runway during heavy push times.

Answer 8

Basic aerodynamics. I'm assuming you're a hopeful future pilot. If you already have your private pilot's txt books refer to ailerons...get to know flaps..and well, every other part of the plane in which you will be (maybe) flying.

You'll definately need to get the swing (no pun intended) of landing during windy conditions-above answers mention facing directly into the wind. Mess up the approach-cross your fingers on the landing.

Once you research all you can on that matter...go ahead and look up some info on crosswinds. Slightly different approach.