Question for SFO controllers

[1996]

Hi guys. I'm interested in the decisions on runway(s) in use at SFO and pilot's decisions on what to use. I departed (as pax) with VIR from 28R. 28 L & R were in use for landings and most deps were from 1L & R. One or 2 heavies were departing from 28R. 5 mins prior to our departure on 28R BAW departed from one of the 01s - same a/c type, same ramp area, same routing. I was wondering why the difference? Wind was light and westerly.

2nd question - what gaps do you have between landers on 28 to launch deps on 01?

[sb_sfo]

I'm not ATC, but I'll try to answer your questions since I'm a local.

The winds at SFO are usually out of the west from about 1400 on, and sometimes are pretty steady at 25 kts or more. When winds are light, 28s are used for arrivals, and the 01s for departures, but most Asia/Europe-bound heavies use the 28s. When the winds pick up, however, the tower switches departures to the 28s as well, as most aircraft have cross-wind limits around 25 knots or so. A quartering tailwind on takeoff is not good.

In your particular case, the BAW may have been light that day, and you probably had a good bit of freight aboard.

As for spacing, it seems like about ~4 minutes to me, plus or minus.

[1996]

Thanks for that. I also now realise that 28R is longer than the 01s.

[3.5 stripes]

I did this a few years ago and here's a suggestion. If you have time, ask if you can go up to the tower and visit for an hour if you have time before, after or between flights. When I went there, they answered many of my questions and I thought the back and forth exchange of info was invaluable.

Wish we could invite those guys up front with us too so they could see more also.

3.5

[Peter47]

Whilst there are a number of other airports such as LGA with intersecting runways and a few such a ATL, LAX & SEA with close parallel runways, I can only think of two. Chicago MDW & SFO with close parallel intersecting runways. (Feel free to correct.)

When I check the FAA website fly.faa.gov/ois it seems that SFO often has long inbound delays and is very prone to delays. Whilst the Bay Area is renown for foggy conditions, the weather was not, by European standards, particularly poor when I was there and there were still weather delays.

Could anyone tell me the minima required for the simultaneous use of all four runways, that is virtually simultaneous takes offs on two parrallel runways, two very close together landings on the cross runways and so on.

Can this only be achieved in visual flight conditions?

What proportion of the time can the runways operate at full capacity?

I ask purely as a spotter but I did an M.Sc. thesis more years ago than I care to think proposing increasing South East runway capacity by using the two runways at LGW as close parallels - I got the idea from SFO airport. The reaction on PPRuNe when I suggested it was not, it must be said, very favourable.

[3.5 stripes]

There is a lot of pressure for airlines to get rid of crossing rwy ops (or simultaneous crossing runway ops) in the name of safety.

We don't have any restrictions in our sop's, but I know some airlines do. They won't accept a landing or take-off with an another aircraft that will land and hold short of the runway they are using.

3.5