NZFX confusion on runway heading

[boyaz]

I am preparing myself for the VATSIM World Flight 2025 event and I found some confusing situation at the Phoenix Field (NZFX) in Antarctica region, which could possibly cause problem with the event. I would like to get a clarification on this confusion.

Navigraph provided runway information, SID, STAR and APPR nav data for NZFX, but there is no charts available. Other than these, I was not able to find any information on the NZ AIP.

The biggest confusion I had is which side of the runway is. The True North at NZFX is almost opposite to the Magnetic North and the Grid North. Nav data seems to be saying runway is named by Grid heading instead of True heading. This means that either the data is wrong or this is a rare edge case that is not well-understood by the community.

At NZFX, while the procedures Navigraph provided are named as RNAV15T and RNAV33T, which should mean that the runway are named based on there True heading, but the actual heading seems to be more like the Grid heading.

For example, let’s say we are on runway 33T, we have:

• True heading: 162 ← “T” Typically means it should match this
• Mag heading: 020
• Grid heading: 328 ← Matches the 33 runway number

Here are the screenshots in the simulator for this above situation, using a A320 as example (MSFS2020, Fenix A320 with latest Navigraph AIRAC 2510). I have selected RNAV33T, and from the ND we can see the aircraft is aligned with this RNAV33T procedure. The aircraft is on ground, lining up on runway 33.

When runway 33T have a True heading of 162, people may think it’s runway 15T, because it makes more sense as it has a “T” suffix. Some may think Navigraph data are incorrect. People may mistakenly land on the opposite side of the runway, creating trouble for a high-traffic online event like World Flight.

Please clarify on this situation so that everyone knows which direction of the runway is.

Thanks!

[NAVData]

Hi,
I’m sorry, but I have no clue. Maybe someone has more knowledge in this case how this in real works. I’m sorry.

Cheers
Richard

[NAVData]

Hi,
We will report this to Jeppesen, but are there any official references, or is this “only” an assumption? Because you wrote “it does appear incorrect”.

Cheers
Richard

[fcooper94]

Just from multiple instances of users testing it. Nothing official. Would be good report it. But I have nothing else to back it up

[NAVData]

Ok, we will not report an issue, we will ask if this is correct so far. Thank you!

Cheers
Richard

[boyaz]

With more research I think I found the reason behind this.

Short answer: The nav data direction are correct. The runway is named based on Grid heading. They should not have the “T” suffix though.

Longer answer:

I found this flight operation document from the United States Antarctica Program (USAP) website: https://www.usap.gov/logistics/documents/Air_Operations_Manual.pdf, which I believe is official.

Below its section 3.2.4.10, it says:

Note: Runway numbering is relative to Grid North, Grid North = True + 167 degrees.

and it’s talking about region near Williams Field (NZWD), which is only 10NM away from NZFX.

When the at NZFX runway is being referenced, it clearly said “runway 15” and “runway 33” without “T“ suffix.

1.3.4.2 The Phoenix Runway is 11,000’ x 200’ feet and oriented Grid 15/33G. To the
maximum extent possible, aircraft arrivals should be to runway 15 and
departures to runway 33 to reduce the number of passes on the runway.

Without the “T”, people may not confuse it for true heading, and will not mistake it for the opposite end of the runway.

I would suggest Navigraph to remove the “T” suffix from the procedure names (RNAV33T → RNAV33) to remove the confusion people may had.

I would also suggest Fraser to put a notice for the World Flight event to avoid any confusion, since this situation (runway numbered by Grid heading) is indeed a edge case not well understood by the flight sim community.

Thanks Richard and Fraser for your help!