Originally Posted by
DukeBen
Ideally we could provide you with runway certainty as early as possible and we do endeavour to do this whenever we can.
In recent months there have been some complicating factors especially around the 5.30am-6.00am time.
1 - Taxiway Alpha North of Rwy 27 and Taxiway Charlie have often been closed overnight between 10pm and 5.30-6.00am for works.
This impacts on Runway selection as it causes any long runway requirement departures to need to backtrack Rwy 16 and turn around in the Bravo run up Bay. This becomes problematic with 16 arrivals, and even 27 arrivals vacating the runway and wanting to cross at Echo vs aircraft needing to enter at Echo to backtrack.
The usual solution being, if there is less than 5 knots tailwind on Rwy 34, we use Rwy 34 overnight rather than Rwy 16, and avoid needing to use the areas close to the closed taxiways.
As soon as these taxiways are returned to service in the morning, we can resume a more appropriate runway mode to the conditions. (eg, the 5 knot tailwind we've been living with overnight, is forecast to strengthen during the day, so we need to change to Rwy 16 for Arrivals, Rwy 27 for departures ASAP).
Unfortunately, the return to service time of these taxiways is not set in stone, and sometimes problems such as unserviceable lights etc rear their heads at the last minute (this happened last week). It makes the runway selection hard to predict and sometimes we are simply not able to tell at 5.30am, exactly what the runway selection will be at 6am.
2 - Runway closures at night. These have a similar impact to what's been listed above, and the return to service time on the NOTAM doesn't always match the reality. Unfortunately we have to manage these variables too and it does impact upon runway certainty.
I do get that it's a PITA for you guys/girls and it is for us too, we hate having to change runways on you at the last minute and do understand that it causes delays and recalculations.
We try to advise you as soon as we get the info, sometimes we'll be broadcasting on clearance delivery frequency and sometimes can't get in touch with various aircraft (understandably, we know you've got other things to do).
If it always as simple as putting an extra line on the ATIS to solve all the issues, believe me, we'd do it, and when we have the info, we do try to do this.
In terms of giving a different wind to what's on the ATIS after an aircraft is already lined up, yes it is not ideal, and we understand the impact it has on delaying take off roll etc. None of us want that, and I didn't witness the example cited so can't speak to the individual situation.
On some occasions, the wind changes in the time between the line up and the take off clearance. We the have a duty to pass it on, no matter the impact it has on delaying take off etc. Also sometimes our wind analysers in the tower do not match the wind socks. The winds are not taken from tower level, there are sensors near each threshold (but not co-incident with the wind socks).
DukeBen, the last 3 or 4 times it's happened to me, it's been runway 34 departures 27 arrivals or 34 all ops at 5:15-5:30am changed to 27 for all departures by the time we get our clearance for the 6am departure..
If you could spread the word around that if it's possible to put something out on the atis at around 5:15 if you know you're going to change the runway it would be much appreciated. As someone said, sitting in the jump would be a great way to see the small things that make our life frustrating.. perhaps this forum is the next best thing. Cheers mate.