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EGPK Specific
Runways and "the active"
5 min read🟢Beginner
The two runways
- 12/30 — 9,800 ft × 148 ft — primary
- 03/21 — 6,014 ft × 148 ft — crosswind, used when wind favours it or for training
"Active" = into wind
Aircraft take off and land into wind whenever possible, because lower groundspeed means shorter ground roll, better climb angle and safer go-arounds.
Rule of thumb
Subtract runway heading from wind direction. If the result is within ±90°, that runway is usable into wind.
- Wind 120° → runway 12 (headings align)
- Wind 300° → runway 30
- Wind 030° or 210° → use 03/21
What EGPK actually uses
In the dominant south-westerlies that batter the Firth of Clyde, runway 30 is the go-to. When a high-pressure system drops the wind to the east, runway 12 comes back.
Spotting application
Check METAR, apply the rule — now you know which threshold to shoot from.