Tower wind

[tubby linton]

At large airfields where is the wind given by the tower measured?I recently landed at a large airfield where the wind at touchdown was almost 90 degrees out to that given with the landing clearance.

[FantomZorbin]

Usually from an anemometer placed furthest away from any ground effect. Hence what you experienced was probably due to effects peculiar to that approach/touchdown area.

I once had a pilot who complained bitterly about an aircraft ahead slowing right down and reducing separation. When on the ground, the gentleman apologised and reported a massive wind shear at low level that turned a tailwind into a headwind at touchdown.

[Spitoon]

ICAO Annex 3 recommends 'When local routine and special reports are used for departing aircraft, the surface wind observations for these reports should be representative of conditions along the runway; when local routine and special reports are used for arriving aircraft, the surface wind observations for these reports should be representative of the touchdown zone'.

This has been in the UK rules for several years and I imagine all large airports must surely be complying by now. It usually requires several measurement sites - typically adjacent to the TDZ and, if these are not representative of the conditions along the runway because of local topography or whatever, other sites to give the 'general' wind.

[tubby linton]

The problem always seems to be associated with landing towards the east at Crawley international.I wonder if it has something to do with the grass embankment blanking the wind as you often seem to experience a big sink as you fly past it just as you are about to start initiating the flare

[Antek]

At Luton it comes from anenometers near the threshold of the runway in use. That said, there are well-known local effects which make for sporting conditions on short final in anything other than a calm-ish wind...

[vintage ATCO]

Sporting? At Luton? :) They're on top of each GP antenna.

[tubby linton]

So where is it at Lgw on 08R?I am guessing not near the earth bank?

[heretostay]

So where is it at Lgw on 08R?I am guessing not near the earth bank?


Next to the GP antenna.

Anemometers are sometimes dipicted on the Aerodrome Chart and or in the Textual Data, in the UK at least, I see Luton doesn't show them in either!

[betterfromabove]

You should try Clacton International.....

36 Windsock permanently stuck at 90 degrees off, with 18 windsock often showing down the pitch. God bless coastal airfields.