Operation Direction 

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Current operation direction
Betriebsrichtung

 

To make the best possible use of the available runways, aircraft always take off and land against the wind. The stronger the headwind, the shorter the acceleration or deceleration distance on the runway. By contrast, a tailwind increases these distances and becomes a safety risk above a specific wind speed.   

That is why the take-off and landing direction – known as the operation direction – on the three parallel runways changes depending on the prevailing wind direction and speed:   

  • Easterly wind: “Operation direction 07” (equivalent to compass heading of 70°) or “easterly direction,” flight direction from west to east 
  • Westerly wind: “Operation direction 25” (equivalent to compass heading of 250°) or “westerly direction,” flight direction from east to west 

Runway 18 (equivalent to compass heading of 180°) can largely be used regardless of the operation direction of the parallel runway system. 

As a long-term average, around 70 percent of all take-offs and landings at Frankfurt Airport take place in a westerly direction due to the prevailing weather conditions, with around 30 percent taking place in an easterly direction. This does not rule out the possibility of the same operation direction being used for a prolonged period of time. Stable easterly weather conditions are particularly common in the spring. 

Main operation direction   

DFS German Air Navigation Services is responsible for directing aircraft. If the wind comes from easterly directions, it must order flight operations from west to east, i.e. in operation direction 07. By contrast, operation direction 07 with flight operations from east to west is used when the wind blows from a westerly direction.   

The operation direction of the parallel runway system changes depending on the prevailing wind direction and wind speed.   

The residential areas to the west of the airport are comparatively nearer than those to the east. Accordingly, a westerly direction is the lower-noise scenario for the operation direction at Frankfurt Airport.  

DFS German Air Navigation Services must adhere to clear rules when it comes to the decision on the flight and operation direction. To maintain safe and regular air travel, the responsible shift managers at DFS must also bear in mind the actual upper wind conditions as well as the short-range and medium-range weather forecasts of the German Weather Service for Frankfurt Airport.  

In times of stable weather conditions, it may be the case that one operation direction is used for a prolonged period. This means that temporary deviations from the long-term averages for operation direction allocation (70 percent “westerly direction” and 30 percent “easterly direction”) are possible.  

To ensure a safe landing at any time for all approaching aircraft at Frankfurt Airport, the operation direction in the parallel runway system is changed if there is a tailwind of more than five knots (approx. nine kilometers per hour). A tailwind increases the take-off and landing distance on the runway and becomes a safety risk above a specific wind speed. Usually, the westerly direction is rigorously maintained until the tailwind component of five knots is reached.   

As a general observation, the typical meteorological conditions in the region mean that, as a long-term average, the parallel runways are used in the east-west direction (“westerly direction”) around 70 percent of the time. The opposite (“easterly direction”) applies around 30 percent of the time. Sometimes stable easterly or westerly weather conditions prevail for a prolonged period of time, whereas sometimes the operation direction changes multiple times a day.