N E S W 180°
18L / 36R
RWY 18L/36R
HDG 180°
LEN 10,000 ft
Cincinnati Northern Kentucky International Airport

Runway 18L at KCVG

Runway 18L/36R at Cincinnati Northern Kentucky International Airport (KCVG) in Cincinnati / Covington is a 10,000 ft, lighted, concrete runway oriented 180°/000°. The runway is 150 ft wide. SkyMeter has observed 1,128 landings and 933 departures on this runway over the last 30 days, with approximately 0.2% of arrivals resulting in a go-around (2 events). Trace data shows an average final-approach slope of 2.6°, touchdowns averaging 2,176 ft past the threshold, a typical touchdown ground speed of 140 kt, a 5.6 kt average crosswind component.

Last 30 Days
2061 Operations
933 Deps / 1128 Arrs

Runway 18L/36R at Cincinnati Northern Kentucky International Airport (KCVG) in Cincinnati / Covington is a 10,000 ft, lighted, concrete runway oriented 180°/000°. The runway is 150 ft wide. SkyMeter has observed 1,128 landings and 933 departures on this runway over the last 30 days, with approximately 0.2% of arrivals resulting in a go-around (2 events). Trace data shows an average final-approach slope of 2.6°, touchdowns averaging 2,176 ft past the threshold, a typical touchdown ground speed of 140 kt, a 5.6 kt average crosswind component.

Runway at a Glance

Arrival Volume

1,128 landings observed on Runway 18L in the last 30 days, alongside 933 departures.

Low Go-Around Rate

0.2% of arrivals at Runway 18L result in a go-around (2 in the last 30 days).

Peak Hour

Busiest landing window observed at 01:00 with 6 arrivals on the recent sample.

Average Touchdown Zone

Aircraft touch down on average 2,176 ft from the threshold on Runway 18L.

Prevailing Wind & Gust History

Over the past 365 days, winds at KCVG have prevailed from the south-southwest (210°), accounting for roughly 18% of windy observations. Average wind speed sits at 6.0 kt with peak gusts to 52 kt. Strong-wind days are infrequent here.

Moderate Crosswind Component

Average crosswind on landing is 5.6 kt at touchdown, measured against runway 18L alignment.

Approach Slope

Final-approach slope averages 2.6° on Runway 18L, shallower than the standard 3°.

Landing Behavior and Touchdown Performance

The metrics below are computed from ADS-B trace data observed at Runway 18L over the last 30 days. Each value is shown only when at least 10 valid samples were available; sparse cells are hidden rather than estimated.

Avg approach slope
2.6°
Avg touchdown GS
140 kts
Avg touchdown zone
2,176 ft
Avg headwind
-0.6 kt

Hourly Landing Distribution

00:00 4 landings
01:00 6 landings
05:00 2 landings
06:00 1 landings
09:00 1 landings
12:00 3 landings
13:00 3 landings
14:00 6 landings
15:00 5 landings
16:00 2 landings
18:00 1 landings
19:00 5 landings
20:00 3 landings
21:00 2 landings
22:00 1 landings
23:00 5 landings

Recent observed landings on Runway 18L grouped by hour-of-day (UTC).

Go-Around Analysis

A go-around occurs when a pilot aborts a landing attempt and initiates a climb to return for another approach. While go-arounds are a normal safety procedure, their frequency and causes provide insight into operational challenges at specific runways. Runway 18L experienced go-arounds in 0.2% of arrivals over the last 30 days (2 events of 1130 attempts).

Recent Go-Around Events

68c768dd-2831-e141-8086-88c5ba8f1050
2026-08-16 19:15
Other
68c768dd-2831-e141-8086-88c5ba8f1050
2026-08-16 19:15
Other
5ff462fe-7428-3e44-b527-750c1d51b738
2026-08-11 14:01
Unstable Approach
5ff462fe-7428-3e44-b527-750c1d51b738
2026-08-11 14:01
Unstable Approach

These events represent normal safety procedures and do not indicate operational deficiencies.

Go-Around Causes Distribution

Other 2 events (50%)
Unstable Approach 2 events (50%)

Environmental factors dominate go-around causes, indicating that operational procedures remain sound.

Approach Types and Categories

Aircraft approach runways using different procedures based on weather conditions, visibility, and available navigation equipment. An Instrument Landing System (ILS) approach provides precision horizontal and vertical guidance using ground-based radio signals, enabling aircraft to land in low visibility conditions. Visual approaches require pilots to maintain visual contact with the runway and surrounding terrain, typically used during clear weather. Area Navigation (RNAV) approaches use GPS technology to guide aircraft along specific flight paths.

Approach Categories Explained

Category (CAT) classifications define minimum visibility and decision height requirements for instrument approaches. Higher categories enable operations in lower visibility conditions.

CAT I
Decision Height: 200 ft
Visibility: 550m
CAT II
Decision Height: 100 ft
Visibility: 300m
CAT III
Decision Height: 0-50 ft
Visibility: 0-200m
Visual
Clear of Clouds
Visibility: 5 km

Wind and Environmental Factors

Wind conditions directly impact runway operations, influencing approach difficulty, landing performance, and runway selection. Runway 18L benefits from favorable wind alignment, with prevailing winds creating minimal crosswind components for most operations. Average wind speeds of 12 knots pose no operational constraints for commercial aircraft.

24-Hour Wind Pattern

18:00
267° at 7 kts, gusting 9 kts
7 kts
19:00
286° at 11 kts, gusting 14 kts
11 kts
20:00
257° at 8 kts, gusting 0 kts
8 kts
21:00
250° at 8 kts, gusting 15 kts
8 kts
22:00
240° at 6 kts, gusting 0 kts
6 kts
23:00
254° at 5 kts, gusting 0 kts
5 kts
00:00
303° at 4 kts, gusting 7 kts
4 kts
01:00
282° at 4 kts, gusting 7 kts
4 kts
05:00
215° at 6 kts, gusting 0 kts
6 kts
06:00
210° at 4 kts, gusting 0 kts
4 kts
09:00
230° at 3 kts, gusting 0 kts
3 kts
12:00
257° at 4 kts, gusting 0 kts
4 kts
13:00
267° at 6 kts, gusting 0 kts
6 kts
14:00
275° at 8 kts, gusting 0 kts
8 kts
15:00
306° at 8 kts, gusting 0 kts
8 kts
16:00
302° at 7 kts, gusting 9 kts
7 kts
METAR
190° at 4 kts, gusting 0 kts
4 kts

Wind patterns show typical diurnal variation with stronger winds during midday hours.

Average Speed
12 kts
Peak Gust
18 kts
Prevailing Direction
180°
Avg Crosswind
8 kts

Related Pages

About This Data

This analysis covers 2061 operations recorded over the past 30 days, derived from global ADS-B flight broadcasts. Coverage may be incomplete in areas with limited ground-station reception, and statistics may vary with weather and traffic volume.