Runway 18 at LPAZ
Runway 18/36 at Santa Maria Airport (LPAZ) in Vila do Porto is a 10,000 ft, lighted, concrete runway oriented 171°/351°. The runway is 197 ft wide. SkyMeter has observed 5 landings and 0 departures on this runway over the last 30 days, with approximately 0.0% of arrivals resulting in a go-around.
Runway 18/36 at Santa Maria Airport (LPAZ) in Vila do Porto is a 10,000 ft, lighted, concrete runway oriented 171°/351°. The runway is 197 ft wide. SkyMeter has observed 5 landings and 0 departures on this runway over the last 30 days, with approximately 0.0% of arrivals resulting in a go-around.
Runway at a Glance
Arrival Volume
5 landings observed on Runway 18 in the last 30 days, alongside 0 departures.
Limited Traffic Observed
SkyMeter has observed very few flights using Runway 18 in the last 30 days. Statistical breakdowns (go-around rate, crosswind averages) need more observations to be meaningful.
Peak Hour
Busiest landing window observed at 07:00 with 1 arrivals on the recent sample.
Prevailing Wind & Gust History
Over the past 365 days, winds at LPAZ have prevailed from the north-northeast (30°), accounting for roughly 13% of windy observations. Average wind speed sits at 9.8 kt with peak gusts to 56 kt. Strong winds (≥20 kt) occur on about 6% of observations — pilots flying into runway 18 should plan for occasional gusty conditions.
Hourly Landing Distribution
Recent observed landings on Runway 18 grouped by hour-of-day (UTC).
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.
Wind and Environmental Factors
Wind conditions directly impact runway operations, influencing approach difficulty, landing performance, and runway selection. Runway 18 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
Wind patterns show typical diurnal variation with stronger winds during midday hours.