Hello!
I want to make this short and simple and not call out anyone’s names. Also, if I cannot post stuff like this, I am sorry.
I just want to mention the fact that every time I am at an airport with another aircraft without ATC and all runways are green, someone lands with the tail wind. Because all runways are green doesn’t mean that the wind is calm. For example, just now I was enjoying a flight from PDX into ATL. The winds at ATL were 130 at 4 knots. Because of this, I planned my flight to land on 09L, but had to switch because 2 people used 27R, the opposite end. Please, before landing, check the METAR or windy.com to see the winds and land according to that, not so your flight can be quicker.
Even though this isn’t the biggest issue, please learn from this or take it as a friendly reminder. IF is for SOME people who want to be professional, for sure expert server.
If it’s on TS, there’s not much you can do about it because the pilots are still learning. If you’re on expert, PM them if they’re on the IFC. If not, there’s not a whole lot you can do about it, but if you see the same person doing it over and over maybe notify Seb or one of the other IF LLC staff.
Well today, ATL was using 8s 9s and 10 IRL which I try to mimic when winds are “calm” and that’s what I use.
Sometimes though with METAR you will be landing with a a slight tailwind or crosswind with IRL traffic flowing the same way and because although METAR conditions are calm but at 2-6k feet you’re landing into a stiff headwind even though METAR show’s your landing runway as red.
BTW there’s a VA (who’s main hub is ATL) in which their pilot’s are notorious for flying out in any direction they feel like out of ATL.
for those who want to know how to read the METARs for wind, here’s some I got from wikipedia: METAR LBBG 041600Z 12012MPS 090V150 1400 R04/P1500N R22/P1500U +SN BKN022 OVC050 M04/M07 Q1020 NOSIG
12012MPS is what you want, the first three digits are wind direction, and the next two is speed (can be in kts, in this case it’s metres per second)
Or for NA airports: METAR KTTN 051853Z 04011KT 1/2SM VCTS SN FZFG BKN003 OVC010 M02/M02 A3006 RMK AO2 TSB40 SLP176 P0002 T10171017=
04011KT same as previous
This is the standard one, I believe IF simplifies some parts
What really “upsets” (a kinder word) me is that when I check Flightaware 30mins prior because winds are super calm and check IRL flow and plan my arrival accordingly. No one is there at ATL and no one else coming in.
So as I’m on my down leg about 2/3s at around 7000 feet. Then 5 “of them VA pilots” Spawn in then quickly pushback and decide to take off in the opposite direction as I’m making my final turn ignoring my position reports
What’s even sadder is when on expert the approach controller is following IRL flow and sets you up then the wind slightly changes and tower controller tells you to enter the opposite direction when on final. I flipped my Sh…stuff and just ended the game in mid flight out of frustration.
4 knots tailwind seem nothing where the limit for IF autoland is 5. If expert ATC’s use the 27’s I’m pretty sure you won’t complain about the controller not looking at the METAR. And if 2 traffic are coming in on the 27’s it means next time you should request for traffic advisories to see what the general pilot population is using instead of “sticking with the wind”
I prefer to be realistic and even though I “am not going with the flow”, I just change based off of them while still following common landing procedures.