Downwind or what ?

[kms901]

As a humble PPL of 20 years experience with 1100 hours (1500 t/offs and landings),I have a question for the professionals. My regular commute from the UK to Italy with a well known loco carrier (to an airport near the coast) always seems to involve landing in one drection and taking off in the other direction shortly afterwards. I can see the operational advantages in having a short taxi to the terminal and a short taxi for takeoff, but is this SOP ?. I was refused the same choices when I departed the same airport in a light aircraft 45 mins after my arrival in the heavy.

The last couple of arrivals have felt similar to a flapless approach in my little Cessna.

Any comments, and are there any agreed limits for downwind takeoffs/landings ?

I don't mean to be rude, but I have this sense of "this don't feel right"

[PhoenixRising]

This happens regularly in FLR due to the mountain at the end of Rwy 05. Landings usually on Rwy 05 and takeoffs on Rwy 23, if weight, temperature and wind permit.

I'm guessing that terrain is probably a factor in the case you're referring to. So what's the airport? I'm sure someone can give you the exact reason why if you specify where we're talking about.

[Hotel Mode]

The italians seem to have a habit of either pointng runways at a hill (Pisa, Verona, Genoa) or not fitting ILS's to both ends (Bologna (may have changed). Generally you would follow the instrument approach to one end and break off for a circling, but as most aircraft can do 15kt tailwinds its quicker and easier where the runway isnt limiting to either land or take off downwind. From your description i think we might be talking about Pisa. The times i went there the wind was only too strong once.

[longarm]

Naples also presents problems to some carriers. Runway 24 with ILS is the preferred runway for landing. Take off from 24 however is take off weight restrictive due to high ground on the climb out. Many airlines, when required, use 06 for departures to avoid this, even with a tailwind.

[slingsby]

Having just flown into Genoa (29NOV), I can say this was probably one of the more interesting airports I have flown into in a while.
Approach on runway 29, takes you nicely over some high cranes, servicing the many cruise liners in port, with your go-around facing a rather large mass of unmoveable hill directly ahead of you. Now I know it was a tail wind landing, due to the fact that the wind-sock was pointing horizontally across and partly down the runway as we landed. Nice landing Air Alps by the way, shame about the braking. Now meeting over, we went back to the airport, where the wind had increased to we estimate around 20knts gusting a little higher. Pretty much across the runway, but more or less precluding a 11 departure. We were marginally surprised when our AirOne aged B737 took the active and backtracked for a 29 departure. Now knowing the hill was at the other end had us both looking at the wind sock and calculating the tailwind takeoff for an old B737-200. Nicely done in the end, with a low sharp left turn over the runway end.
My question being is, is there a set preference for runway use at Genoa. It's just a simple question which kind of made for discussion on our way down to Rome.

[BOAC]

29 is the preferred as it has the ILS so would probably have been 'in use'. It is also the shorter taxy distance and the close in obstacles are less (unless there is a ship!)

[Onan the Clumsy]

unmoveable hill

[:8]

technically, due to the conservation of momentum, the hill will indeed move...

...just not nearly enough to be any use for you :(

[/:8]

[kookabat]

the hill will indeed move

...especially if it's attached to the conveyor belt on the runway...:E

[Old Smokey]

unmoveable hill
the hill will indeed move
I know of Performance Engineers who move hills on a regular basis (on paper at least).

It's not commonly known that P/E's are possessed of Biblical powers.:ok:

Relax Prooners, we only move them artificially closer to the runway, which gives you a more conservative 2nd Segment performance (3rd segment is another matter).

Regards,

Old Smokey