Originally Posted by
Flyer_70
Ok, one more question - is there any way to find out ahead of time what runway/direction a flight will be using? (I'm still sorting through the links you provided so if it is there, my apologies!). I looked at Flightaware and similar websites but did not see that specific information. Since they seem to lag a bit real time, once the heading does show up, it's usually too late.
The planes are pretty low over my house and if I have friends/family arriving I sometimes go out to see if I can see their plane (and take the appropriate photo). So maybe I am a mini-nerd..
Runway direction is determined primarily by WX, specifically wind direction. Most of the year, the wind is from the south and since takeoffs are generally done into the wind, 17R/L are in use. You can listen to KAUS ATC (IFR Clearance, Ground, Tower, and Approach/Departure) at
www.liveatc.net to see what runway is in operation at any given time.