USE of RWY 25L or 07R for Cargo and Business Jets
As a business jet operator out of Hong Kong BAC, we often debate about asking for landing on 07R or 25L for expediency. It would lessen our taxi time inbound of course, and perhaps be smoother for airport OPs in terms of not needing another runway crossing, etc. Anyways, we usually forget to ask, and with typical visibility it might be too late when we see on final if the south runway is clear.
The question is, is it any problem for us to ask in general once approaching the terminal area for use of this runway? What is the first controller you would recommend requesting it to? (HK Director?)
HK ATC assumes all Cargo and Business traffic parking in the Business Aviation Centre prefers the southern RWY 07R/25L. During peak periods when there is excessive airborne holding, the south runway will be allocated to specific callsigns by the flow controller to land traffic ASAP. In all other circumstances, it is the prerogative of the TWR controller to assess the impact on departing traffic. i.e. if there is a gap in departures or very light traffic, we will coordinate for specific callsigns to be OFFERED that runway. It is a complex calculation with many variables. All of these are unknown to landing traffic. If ATC gets it wrong and we've offered the runway to a business jet, and as that aircraft checks in on final, there are six aircraft at the holding point and another 4 joining the queue, the resultant loss to the industry is perhaps a 3 minute delay to the first departure. Realistically though it must apply to all traffic in the queue. So in this case one business jet can incur a cumulative 30 minute loss to the industry. ATCs, through considerable experience of unstable approaches, are advised not to offer the southern runway to traffic inside 30NM from touchdown. The ideal is 50NM, but practically it is very difficult to forecast the departure queue at that range. All a poor Human Factors exercise with ATC aiming to please and crews being disrupted during high work load. Many crews will say they can handle it and brief both runways in anticipation, but there is an ample body of evidence that it can go wrong.
UNLESS YOU ARE SUBJECT TO AN EMERGENCY OR HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY ON BOARD, PLEASE DO NOT ASK FOR THE SOUTHERN RUNWAY
What is the closest to the runway that you are allowed to issue a sidestep if requested?
A sidestep in HK is limited to a specific manoeuvre, not just a change of runway from one to the other. It is only used in reference to traffic when they are established on final on the Northern runway and it subsequently becomes unusable at short notice. VMC must exist for the sidestep to occur and it has a maximum distance when it has to be allocated by and a minimum distance when to be established on the Southern runway. By definition, as the sidestep is in progress at around 5NM, ATC is inducing an unstable approach scenario under the guise of a visual approach. It has been done once in my recollection with a CX aircraft on a clear blue day and well over 5 years ago. I think the airline industry in general frowns on this sort of late change with risk/reward analysis. As mentioned in the answer to the previous question, our instructions on offering an alternative runway should be by 30NM from touch down at the latest. ATC when dealing with business jet crews are always dealing with an unknown commodity in regards to capability and airfield/airspace familiarity. The vast majority of HK ATCs do not have live or regular experience in controlling such manoeuvres. It is in our manual, but it is to prevent a go round when short notices unforeseen circumstances cause a runway blockage. It is not intended as a last minute change for expedition.
Last comment is of course that professionalism prevails and we won't bother with a request at a time when the radio is so crammed as to be impractical.
Your points about eliminating a runway crossing and shortest taxi route are an ATC consideration, but similar to the situation in the post above about vacating the landing runway, these are two low priority issues.
So in summary if the south runway suits minimal delay to departing traffic, and there is no evidence of turbulence or wind-shear (local experience dictates that crews prefer the Northern runway during these conditions) we will initiate the allocation. During peak arrival periods it can be directed to any Cargo, BAC or South Apron parking traffic by the flow controller. In either case the reason will be transparent to you. As stated above, we automatically assume you prefer it. By asking you may lure an unsuspecting controller into thinking they are doing the right thing and initiate it. If this occurs, crews WILL make it habit forming. It is genuinely counter productive for the request to come from aircrew.
Once again, thanks for the question. Much better to sort issues here than on frequency.