Learn how pilots identify the active runway using ATIS, ATC, traffic calls, windsocks and weather—and why wind alone does not decide it.
Pilots determine the active runway from ATIS and their ATC clearance at controlled airports. At non-towered aerodromes, they monitor traffic calls and assess the surface wind, windsock, runway indicators and established circuit. The assigned runway or observed traffic flow is more reliable than a guess based on wind alone.
What does active runway mean?
An active runway is a runway on which take-off or landing operations are taking place; an airport can have more than one active runway. Controllers and airport information broadcasts often use the clearer phrase runway in use.
The runway most closely aligned with the wind is usually preferred, but it is not automatically active. Traffic flow, instrument approaches, runway length, braking conditions, terrain, noise restrictions, maintenance and airport capacity can all affect the decision. We cover those considerations in more detail in our guide to the runway-selection factors pilots weigh for landing.
How do pilots find the active runway at a controlled airport?
At a controlled airport, ATC assigns the runway and the pilot confirms that assignment from the clearance.
- Listen to ATIS. Before contacting the relevant controller, pilots obtain the latest ATIS recording. It normally reports the landing and departing runways, approaches in use, wind, visibility and significant airport conditions.
- Report the ATIS code. Giving the information letter on first contact tells ATC that the pilot has received that broadcast. If there is no ATIS, the controller provides the necessary information directly.
- Confirm the assigned runway. A departure taxi clearance normally names the runway, while arriving aircraft receive an expected approach and later an approach or landing clearance. ATC may assign something different from the recorded ATIS if the traffic plan has changed.
- Cross-check before entering. Pilots verify the runway sign, compass heading and aircraft position. A runway being active never authorises an aircraft to enter it, cross it or take off without the required clearance.
ATIS supplies operational information, whereas automated weather broadcasts only report conditions. Our explanation of what ATIS, AWOS and ASOS can each tell a pilot explains why an AWOS wind report does not assign a runway. The separate responsibilities of tower, approach and other controllers are covered in our guide to who controls each phase of an ATC flight.
| Information source | What it tells the pilot | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|
| ATIS | Recorded runways and approaches in use | Can be superseded by a newer ATC instruction |
| ATC clearance | The runway assigned to that aircraft | A pilot must still reject an unsafe or unsuitable assignment |
| AWOS, ASOS or METAR | Observed wind and weather | Does not designate an active runway |
| Traffic calls and visual indicators | Likely traffic flow at a non-towered aerodrome | Indicates use rather than granting authority |
How is the runway in use determined at a non-towered aerodrome?
At an aerodrome without tower control, there may be no officially assigned active runway, so pilots establish which runway is being used before joining the circuit.
- Monitor the local frequency. Listen early for departing, arriving and circuit traffic announcing runway numbers and positions. Local terminology and radio services vary by country.
- Obtain the weather. Use the available automated broadcast, aerodrome report or METAR to find the surface wind. If the coded report is unfamiliar, our guide shows how to decode the wind group in a METAR.
- Inspect visual indicators. Check the windsock and any landing-direction or circuit indicators. Wind can differ from an older report, particularly around showers or exposed terrain.
- Check published procedures. Some aerodromes specify a preferred or calm-wind runway, circuit direction, noise-abatement procedure or runway restriction.
- Fit into the established flow. If other aircraft are already using a suitable runway, joining that flow is generally safer than creating opposing traffic for a slightly better headwind.
If no traffic is present, the pilot selects the safest suitable runway using surface wind, runway length and surface, slope, obstacles, aircraft performance and local procedures. Intentions should then be broadcast clearly where a traffic frequency is provided.
Does wind direction alone determine the active runway?
Wind indicates the most likely runway, but it does not prove which runway is active. Wind is reported as the direction it comes from, so a wind from 270 degrees generally favours Runway 27 because that runway points approximately west into the wind.
An airport may continue using another runway with an acceptable crosswind or tailwind because of instrument-approach availability, traffic sequencing or operational restrictions. Pilots must check that the assigned runway remains within aircraft and operator limits rather than assuming ATC has assessed every performance constraint for them.
Can the active runway change after a pilot has briefed it?
The runway in use can change while an aircraft is taxiing, approaching or even close to landing. A wind shift, runway closure, braking report, emergency or traffic-flow change may prompt ATC to issue a different runway.
The pilot reads back the new assignment, updates navigation and automation, rebriefs the approach or departure, and recalculates the relevant performance figures. If the change arrives too late to complete those tasks safely, the correct response is to say unable, request more time or ask for another runway.
Common active-runway mistakes
Most errors come from confusing weather information with traffic or control information.
- Calling the into-wind runway active without listening to ATIS, ATC or local traffic.
- Treating an AWOS, ASOS or METAR as a runway assignment.
- Using an old ATIS after a controller has announced a runway change.
- Assuming that a taxi clearance naming a runway is also a take-off clearance.
- Following one traffic call without checking the rest of the circuit, the windsock and published procedures.
- Failing to compare runway signs and heading with the clearance before entering the runway.