SAN Departure Pattern
Mar 14, 2007 | 9:39 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: NYC
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SAN Departure Pattern
Driving home from work last night around 7pm I noticed a plane departing SAN to the east over the city rather than the normal west take-off pattern to go over the ocean prior to turning around to head east. I had to do a double take because I had never seen it before. Does this happen often?
Mar 14, 2007 | 11:29 am
#2
Join Date: May 2006
Location: SAN
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Posts: 495
It was likely due to the fog that hit downtown early last evening. I frequently fly back into SAN in the evening, and around 1:50 flights we land from the west. This almost always occurs in low visibility situations, but I suppose it could be due to heavy Santa Ana's occasionally.
Mar 15, 2007 | 6:57 pm
#4
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
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Posts: 1,992
The reason is they can do an ILS approach (CAT1) to runway 9. So, they will sometimes land and takeoff to the east when it gets foggy, although sometimes the airport just gets shut down completely. Once in the early AM, I saw an aircraft land to the east, while aircraft were lined up to take off heading west. Runway 27 (to the west) is a visual approach, and I don't think there will ever be an ILS approach because there are too many vertical obstructions in proximity of the approach path.
Personally, in the course of probably 50 arrivals and 50 departures from SAN, I have always arrived and departed to the west, but I have seen reverse operations before.
Personally, in the course of probably 50 arrivals and 50 departures from SAN, I have always arrived and departed to the west, but I have seen reverse operations before.
Mar 28, 2007 | 2:51 pm
#5
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Join Date: Oct 2004
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The reason is they can do an ILS approach (CAT1) to runway 9. So, they will sometimes land and takeoff to the east when it gets foggy, although sometimes the airport just gets shut down completely. Once in the early AM, I saw an aircraft land to the east, while aircraft were lined up to take off heading west. Runway 27 (to the west) is a visual approach, and I don't think there will ever be an ILS approach because there are too many vertical obstructions in proximity of the approach path.
Personally, in the course of probably 50 arrivals and 50 departures from SAN, I have always arrived and departed to the west, but I have seen reverse operations before.
Personally, in the course of probably 50 arrivals and 50 departures from SAN, I have always arrived and departed to the west, but I have seen reverse operations before.