Originally Posted by
WHBM
Many UK airports date back to RAF wartime days, when they were typically laid out with three short runways in a triangular pattern 60 degrees apart to suit landing into wind. American aircraft, however, were being designed by this time with an adequate rudder (which is what you need for crosswind landings) so after the war one runway often got extended in whatever direction was convenient, while others fell out of use.
Ahem … not
quite so, Sir. The main rw was always aligned to the prevailing wind. The secondary runways were constructed to provide a viable alternative in the event of unusual weather conditions, also according to both weather data and geography. You will usually find that the main rw is longer than the other 2 in most cases, and that the 60º rule you cite is
very variable. E.g.
Runway lengths were 09-27 at 2,033 yards, 03-21 at 1,470 yards and 15-33 at 1,576 yards.
There was a war on, you know. They didn't build these things on a whim.
T8191
Old ATCO
RAF Strubby
http://wikimapia.org/2231884/Former-RAF-Strubby
(PS: I missed the posh Local Control facility - that was installed after I left in 1967
)