Aircraft usually take-off and land into the wind for safety and performance reasons. As the wind direction changes the runway in operation and the flight paths being used may also change.

This means that Adelaide’s seasonal wind patterns affect usage of the different runway directions. The prevailing wind is southerly for most of the year, meaning that Runway 23 is used the most frequently. During the cooler months Runway 05 typically receives more use than at other times of the year because there tends to be more northerly winds.

If the wind is light or calm the direction the runway is used is determined by other factors such as Noise Abatement Procedures (NAP) or air traffic management requirements.

As we gather more data on operations we will update this section with more information.

Learn more about how the runway is named and oriented on our Adelaide Airport Runways page.