What are the air traffic control procedures at San Diego International Airport (SAN)?
SAN has only one runway, requiring aircraft to depart to the west, or the east, depending on the surface wind direction. Prevailing westerly winds dictate that aircraft arrive using Runway 27 (over Balboa Park) approximately 97% of the time. This requires aircraft to depart westerly over Ocean Beach. Easterly arrivals and departures (over Balboa Park) occur less than 3% of the time (usually during periods of Santa Ana type winds or inclement weather). Air carrier aircraft departing SAN to the west are normally assigned by FAA ATC personnel one of two Standard Instrument Departure (SID) procedures depending on their departure destination. For example, for Runway 27 departures, aircraft departing to Los Angeles, San Francisco, and airports west and northwest of San Diego, aircraft are usually assigned an initial departure procedure to make a “right turn” of approximately 15 degrees after takeoff. Aircraft destined for Phoenix, Denver, Dallas, and airports south and east of San Diego are usually assigned an initial departure procedure to go “straight out”. The number of aircraft using each procedure varies depending on airline schedules and FAA air traffic controllers’ discretions, but historically has often been close to a 50/50 split. While there are navigational aids assisting the pilots in maintaining their flight routes, winds can still cause shifts in the departure routes.
What are the air traffic control procedures at San Diego International Airport (SAN)?
SAN has only one runway, requiring aircraft to depart to the west, or the east, depending on the surface wind direction. Prevailing westerly winds dictate that aircraft arrive using Runway 27 (over Balboa Park) approximately 97% of the time. This requires aircraft to depart westerly over Ocean Beach. Easterly arrivals and departures (over Balboa Park) occur less than 3% of the time (usually during periods of Santa Ana type winds or inclement weather). Air carrier aircraft departing SAN to the west are normally assigned by FAA ATC personnel one of two Standard Instrument Departure (SID) procedures depending on their departure destination. For example, for Runway 27 departures, aircraft departing to Los Angeles, San Francisco, and airports west and northwest of San Diego, aircraft are usually assigned an initial departure procedure to make a “right turn” of approximately 15 degrees after takeoff. Aircraft destined for Phoenix, Denver, Dallas, and airports south and east of San Diego are usually assigned an initial departure procedure to go “straight out”. The number of aircraft using each procedure varies depending on airline schedules and FAA air traffic controllers’ discretions, but historically has often been close to a 50/50 split. While there are navigational aids assisting the pilots in maintaining their flight routes, winds can still cause shifts in the departure routes.