EGKK - Noise Preferential RWY?

[Localiser Green]

At Gatwick, is R/W 26L the "Noise Preferential Runway"? I was once told that 26L is used up until the tailwind component on that runway is greater than 5 knots, before they move over to using 08R.

Is that true? This morning, for example, the wind at EGKK has been:

0820z 07004KT
0850z 07003KT
0920z 08002KT
0950z 08002KT

Does that constitute a change to 08R or not?

Thanks.

[BOAC]

LG - I'm sure you'd do better on the ATC forum with this and delete here?

[Jet A1]

Thinking behind it all is something to do with what LHR are doing. Easier for the ATC'ers to handle SID's going in same directions and STARS and LDG traffic coming in from roughly tyhe same area. Jeez, when looking at my TCAS would not fancy trying it with easterly at LHR and westerly at LGW, makes my eyes fizz looking at 30+ TCAS returns !!

[BEXIL160]

Nope, EGKK doesn't take into account what EGLL are doing when selecting runway in use, honest. The SIDs and STARS are all cunningly integrated so that if flown correctly, there are no conflicts.

That said, when EGLL are on Westerlies and EGKK are on 08R (or 08L) it makes things somewhat more "interesting" for the TC South controllers, but by no means impossible.

As far as i know there is no "preferential" runway for EGKK, but I may be wrong. The main reason for staying as long as possible on "one end" is the time it takes to swop ends with the result loss of movements. Even the loss of one or two make a difference.

Any more queries, ask on the ATC forum. You'll find ATC'ers a lot more up to date with EGKK than I.

Rgds
BEX

[Warped Factor]

LG,

There's no preferential system as used at Heathrow.

If the surface wind is calm(ish), under normal circumstances the 2,000ft or 3,000ft wind will dictate the runway used.

This morning (21st Feb), we spent the whole morning on 08R, much of it in low vis procedures due to IRVR's hovering around the 200m mark most of the time.

WF.