Page 219 - Planning and Design of Airports

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FIGURE 6-5 Example of complex runway system: Chicago O’Hare International Airport.

orient a runway in such a way that operating in one direction is pre-
cluded, normally due to nearby obstacles.
In addition to obstacle clearance considerations, which will be dis-
cussed later in this chapter, runways are typically oriented based on
the area’s wind conditions. As such, an analysis of wind is essential for
planning runways. As a general rule, the primary runway at an air-
port should be oriented as closely as practicable in the direction of the
prevailing winds. When landing and taking off, aircraft are able to
maneuver on a runway as long as the wind component at right angles
to the direction of travel, the crosswind component, is not excessive.
The FAA recommends that runways should be oriented so
that aircraft may be landed at least 95 percent of the time with