Madrid Barajas Runways

[101]

I'll be flying into Madrid Barajas in a few days. I was just wondering which runways they tend to use for departures and arrivals. The ends of some of the runways seem quite a long way from the terminal-could be a long taxi!

101

[BOAC]

33 for arrivals, 36LEFT-LEFT-LEFT for departure. Only a long taxi if you are not Spanish:D

Edited for typo - thanks JBC!

[Justbelowcap]

Is it not 36L for departure?

[amanoffewwords]

Went there with BA in May - taxied super-fast to parking spot (impressive since the place was heaving due a Royal Wedding) - it's the bus afterwards that slowed everything down :{

[None]

Justbelowcap is correct. A north flow has arrivals on 33 and departures on 36L. I've seen taxi times as much as 20 minutes to 36L, but more typically 10-15 minutes from the farther ramps (near the cargo area).

A south flow has arrivals to 18R.

Use caution not to mistake 33 (soon to be 33L) for runway 33R under construction, and nearly complete.

[V/S]

That`s correct none!

101, I know Barajas very well! You will be amazed! ATC is very good, and taxying is quite easy! Very nice airport! I enjoy a lot flying there, its better than CDG, ORY, LGW... and some more only FRA and LHR I find better... that`s my opinion, of course!

Regards

[Daysleeper]

So when do they open all those new runways they are building to the north? Looks like they are moving the whole airfield by 2 miles

[TopBunk]

V/S
You will be amazed! ATC is very good
You must be Spanish then ... ATC is more biased in Spain than anywhere else in Europe to it's home based operators [Iberia, Air Nostrum, etc], it's not unusual to end up number 8 for approach into Madrid to the Iberia just airborne from Barcelona! Their radar vectors are ok if the weather if good, but put a line squall or row of cb's within 30 miles and they are dire. If you approach for 33 from the north, plan about FL150 at CNR/CMR? and expect a short cut to PDT11d (from memory) - when they give descent to FL80-ish you may find you need speedbrake for the profile, only to find you have an extra 40 track miles when that Iberia gets airborne from somewhere else in Europe! The secret, as with lots of places, is to have a plan but remain flexible!

[ETOPS]

There is a spanish phrase which translates as "The Moors are at the coast" or in other words "Stick together lads" - you hear it on Madrid approach from time to time...........

[mupepe]

Beware when approaching to runway 18R, the ATC tend to keep you high above profile while in radar vectoring as some terrain clearance to be kept clear!
follow me car quickly avail. when on the ramp, some taxilines are difficult to recognize.
have fun.;)

[glider26]

I fly into MAD and pretty much everywhere in Europe and I have to agree that Spanish ATC is the most biased of all. Flew into Madrid last week, northern config, landing 33, over the ridge 20 nm north of MAD we were told to slow down to 250 kts while Iberia behind us and higher than we were snuck in while we were taken south of Parla, through the centre line... it's a disgrace when you consider that in the UK, local airlines do not get precedence over foreign airlines.

[meatball]

Rubbish!
ATC in Madrid is very efficient, switching very easily between spanish and english. Apparently you havent flown in Greece yet.
The real problem is that in England you naturally dont have the excuse to switch languages. Ive stopped fighting ATC quirks. Live and let live and in Rome do as the romans do.
The reference to traffic backing up due to a take off from Barcelona is insulting and belittles the professionals that staff Barajas Center.

[seat 0A]

ATC in MAD is appalling!
Countless times I get vectored only 3 NM behind a heavy.
Go-arounds galore!
Then the apron traffic. It`s like times square on peak hours. And ofcourse nobody cares to stop to give way to you when you try to park at the gate. You see fuel trucks swaying around your cockpit.
Great fun out there!

Be careful, be very careful!

[meatball]

Talking about mixing apples with beans....
ATC on approach at LEMD is excellent compared to many other countries...ground traffic is bad in a lot of places, including Orly and CDG...even Newcastle which is minute. Stop griping and learn to taxi first

[Carnage Matey!]

I'm with the crowd that say Barajas ATC are dire! Had the misfortune to be there last week. Surface wind reported as 180/15G30, requested 18R for landing to be told no way, must be 33! +30kts tailwind all the way down the approach to about 200 feet where it rapidly dropped off to a limiting 10 kts only to face a go-around because one of the local operators couldn't vacate the runway in time. The whole place is an accident waiting to happen.

[meatball]

So everybody was landing on 33 which is the usual at MAD...helps the birds reach the sky in less time equals passengers not griping about late arrivals etc etc...please, didn´t ATIS inform you as well as ATC which ARRIVAL and which RWY to expect ? Well, so, plan on it and dont forget your aircrafts excellent auto-braking, lengthy runway 33 and how about flaps 40 ? Any previous aircraft complaining ? Ive gone around very rarely except once in Italy and once in GB...
You guys sound like whinnie babies...probably all side stick drivers.

[Carnage Matey!]

Quite right, side stick driver and acutely aware of the excellent auto braking capabilities. Also acutely aware of the safety shortcomings of MAD ATC. There is no significant difference in taxy times by landing on 18R and departing on 15, a configuration they changed to about 30 minutes after I landed. Just because your aircraft can do something doesn't mean thats its sensible to actually do it. If you've only gone around twice then I'd suggest you either don't visit many busy airports or you're perfectly happy to land at night on a runway which is still occupied by an aircraft you can't see and whose exact position you don't know. It's bu**er all use having a long runway if there's another aircraft parked 1000m into it. Let me know when you're flying, I'll give your aircraft a very wide berth.

[Plumaveloz]

Hello to everybody,
Madrid Barajas is one of the busiest airports in Europe. Last june 29th had a new movements´ record, over 1.200. As many of you allready know, the taxi from the southern cargo area takes much time. For the last three years, AENA (Aeropuertos Españoles y Navegación Aérea) has been developing the "Plan Barajas" which
involves the creation of two new runways 36R/18L and 33R/15L. It will also have a new terminal Building just in between the four runways that, for sure, will short the taxi times.
All this causes controller job to be more difficult at actual time, not only on the approaches, but also on the apron zone. There are too many ground movements involving trucks and other machinery that are not used and experienced on airports phraseology. Their english speaking abilities may be also lower than those expected for a pilot!!. Some of the taxiways have to be closed from time to time, due to operations. Read carefully the NOTAM´s to avoid incidents. Everything should be finished by 2005 first quarter. Here are some more pics (http://www.aena.es/csee/Satellite?pagename=Microsite%2Fmicrosite&MO=7&SMO=1&c=Microsite_FP&cid=1077107901036&p=1071230761953)
I am sad to hear that pilots think the spanish controllers "give way" to local operators. Our first task as ATCs is to grant security, and I feel that most of us look forward that objective. There are always exexptions, but I truly believe that just a few. If you contact any of the controllers in Mad App, I am quite sure they will invite to visit Torrejon ACC, where you can see the whole picture of the approach. Have any of you ever visit that facilitie? Everytime I fly, I try to get into the cockpit. Even after september 11th, I made it most of the times. I have learned something new in every single trip. To get to know each other is the best way to respect the other´s one job.
Regards,

Ángel

[meatball]

Carnage Matey
There is always someone like you to sour an otherwise fine party. keep a wide berth from me ? Do we now give our names over the air or something ? How childish. Give us a break...
And well if in twenty two years flying throughout USA/Europe/Caribbean /S.America and Canada Ive gone round twice then maybe its because im pretty adept at planning ahead.
You side stickers are strangely sensitive, arent you ?:rolleyes: