Runway performance calculator for private pilots
Search an airport, pick your aircraft and conditions, and get a take-off and landing verdict for every runway end — factored for density altitude, weight, surface, slope and live METAR wind.
Questions pilots ask
- How do I calculate take-off distance required for a runway?
- Start from the POH take-off distance over a 50 ft obstacle at MTOW, then correct it for density altitude, actual weight, runway surface and slope, and the headwind or tailwind component. RunwayCheck applies each correction for you and compares the result with the published length of every runway end.
- What safety factor should I apply to landing distance?
- EASA recommends multiplying take-off distance by 1.33 and landing distance by 1.43 for general aviation operations. Both factors are applied by default and can be switched off to see the unfactored book figures.
- How is the crosswind component calculated per runway?
- The live METAR wind direction and speed are resolved against each runway's true heading, giving the headwind or tailwind component and the crosswind component. A warning appears when the crosswind exceeds the demonstrated crosswind for your aircraft type.
- Does it work for grass and wet runways?
- Yes. Dry short grass, long grass, wet grass, wet paved and soft or waterlogged surfaces each apply their own take-off and landing penalty, and up to 2% up or down slope is handled separately.
- Which aircraft are supported?
- 22 common general aviation types, including the Piper Warrior and Archer, Cessna 152, 172 and 182, Diamond DA20 and DA40, Cirrus SR20 and SR22, Robin DR400, Socata TB9 and TB10, Aquila A210 and Tecnam P2008.
Correction factors follow EASA general aviation performance factoring (AMC1 NCO.OP.115 and the EASA GA safety promotion material on aeroplane performance).