At Moorabbin Airport there are two sets of parallel runways. One set is orientated north to south (Runways 17 Left/35 Right and 17 Right/35 Left) and the other is orientated north-west to south-east (Runways 31 Left/13 Right and 13 Right/31 Left).

Each runway is referred to differently according to in which direction it is being used. For example, the north-south runways are referred to as Runway 35 Left and Right when used in a northerly direction and Runway 17 Left and Right when used in a southerly direction.

Runway numbering reflects the runways’ orientation and correlates with degrees on a compass. Runway 35 is 350 degrees magnetic.

The following video explains how runways are named and used.

Runway selection and seasonal winds

Runway selection is based on wind direction, weather conditions, traffic volume and other factors. See the Runway Selection page for more details. Aircraft primarily take-off and land into the wind for safety and performance reasons. Therefore, as the wind direction changes the runway in operation may also change depending on the strength of the wind.

This means that Melbourne’s seasonal wind patterns affect usage of the different runway directions. For example, Runways 35 Left and Right tend to be used more often in the cooler months when there are frequent winds with a northerly component. Runways 17 Left and Right tend to be used more frequently in the warmer months when the predominant wind direction tends to be southerly.

Noise abatement procedures

Noise abatement procedures are designed to help reduce the impact of aircraft noise on communities. While they are applied whenever it is possible to do so, their use is not mandatory and is subject to weather conditions and traffic requirements.

Under the noise abatement procedures, circuit training is only allowed between specific hours.

The preferred runway for use is Runway 35. The second choices are Runways 17, 13 and 31 equally. No circuits are to be conducted on Runway 04/22 which is not available unless operationally required, for example, because the wind conditions make other runways unusable.

For Runway 17 Right, departures are not permitted before 9:00am, jet departures are not permitted, and departing aircraft should maintain the runway heading until south of Woodlands Golf Course. Some aircraft types are not permitted to use this runway unless no other is available.

Departures from Runway 31 Left should maintain the runway heading until over Kingston Centre.