Finally, Landings On 02L/20R!

[The High Flyer]

For the past many weeks, flights into Changi have been landing in a south-westerly direction. That means to say departing flights took off in the same direction. Furthermore, the departures used Runway 20C/02C. From my vantage point in the southern part of Bedok, I was only able to spot the planes in the distance, which hardly made for good observation.

Finally, yesterday, around 6:00pm, the winds changed in my favour. Landings took place in the northeasterly direction. In addition, ATC assigned 02L/20R the landing runway. You couldn't imagine the excitement in me as I watched 3K518 (A320), AF256 (B773), and one unidentified, colourful aircraft come in on their short finals! They were barely a few hundred metres away from where I was!

There was also SQ7975 (B744F) which came in, laden with cargo. I just loved the words Mega Ark. It's a good thing that the lousy SIA corporate directive to remove the aircraft nicknames did not filter down to its subsidiary!

[IanDeYoung]

Lucky guy!

[Jubilee777]

For the past many weeks, flights into Changi have been landing in a south-westerly direction. That means to say departing flights took off in the same direction. Furthermore, the departures used Runway 20C/02C. From my vantage point in the southern part of Bedok, I was only able to spot the planes in the distance, which hardly made for good observation.

Finally, yesterday, around 6:00pm, the winds changed in my favour. Landings took place in the northeasterly direction. In addition, ATC assigned 02L/20R the landing runway. You couldn't imagine the excitement in me as I watched 3K518 (A320), AF256 (B773), and one unidentified, colourful aircraft come in on their short finals! They were barely a few hundred metres away from where I was!

There was also SQ7975 (B744F) which came in, laden with cargo. I just loved the words Mega Ark. It's a good thing that the lousy SIA corporate directive to remove the aircraft nicknames did not filter down to its subsidiary!

Your colourful plane, I believe, was a Air India Express B737.

[The High Flyer]

Yes, it does seem that the plane should have been IX662 (B737). Thanks!

By the way, is it normally the case that if an airport has two runways, one is used for departures and the other for arrivals? If so, how does ATC decide which one to use for which? Also, I've previously seen 20C/02C being used for a good while for departures, then all of a sudden, departures switched to 20R/02L, just for 5-10 minutes. Thereafter, the planes appeared on 20C/02C again.

[9V-JKL]

Right now 20R is the take-off runway. I can hear it from my desk at work. 772 just flew overhead as I write this

[9V-SPL]

But, now even the words Mega Ark are slowly being removed. There is no "Mega Ark" in
9V-SFA which is now in the new SIAC livery.

[The High Flyer]

9V-JKL, if you're in office, can you let me know which runway is the landing runway today? I'll be in Bedok South in half an hour!

[9V-JKL]

Sadly 20R as of now. A SQ 77W just took off on 20C

[The High Flyer]

Sadly 20R as of now. A SQ 77W just took off on 20C

Thanks 9V-JKL, I noticed the "wrong" direction too. Anyway, that must have been SQ28.

[flyguy]

took off yesterday morning (21/8) at 0842 hrs on runway 20C

[9V-JKL]

The High Flyer: Landing runway 02L now

[The High Flyer]

The High Flyer: Landing runway 02L now

Unfortunately, I'm stuck in Tanjong Pagar at this moment.

I'm pondering which side of the aircraft to choose when I do my OLCI next Monday. Given that this time of the year, aircraft take off facing the southwest, I thought I'd choose a left-hand window seat, so that I'll be able to catch Changi Coast Road (and that fateful gate where I got caught twice), and also a view of the airport as the aircraft does banks leftwards before heading up north. That's provided takeoffs happen on 20C of course. However, as is the case today, takeoffs happens in a northeasterly direction. That complicates things a little...