Hey all, I’m hoping someone can help… when free flying without destination, I have airport POI’s turned on so I can ATC to them for landing, but when selecting airport it asks for runway…. Where would I look to see which runway I should be picking ( to ensure I don’t have to do a fly-by and turn around etc)??
Find an aviation weather source on the web and use the wind to determine which RW would be best. There are exceptions, but typically you’d like you land in as close to a headwind as possible. But sometimes it’s not possible and you just have to do your best. If you’re flying into larger US airports, you can find the real world ATIS here that will tell you which runway they’re using, in addition to some other info about approaches in use.
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It was more a question of, say I’m heading North and there’s an airport right ahead of me, so I think to myself “I’ll just land there” - how do I know which runway number is the one closest to my current heading?
Of course this is disregarding weather (I only fly in daylight and very ligh winds anyways in a ligh aircraft) and just wanting to know which is the one I can just descend to and land with minimum fuss for my course heading.
ah ok, gotcha. Well, try to match the runway that’s closest to the heading you’re currently flying, if you want a straight in approach. So if you’re flying north at a heading of say 350, and you come across an airport with 13/31 as runways, you’ll select 31, as that’s only slightly off your heading. That would be easiest to be straight in to. Is that kind of what you mean?
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If you need to find out what the runway headings are for that “airport out in front of you”, just open the VFR map and click on the airport. It will tell you what runways are at that airport. Then do as @gekkoguy35 said, and just pick the one that’s closest to your current heading.
Regards
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The runway number indicates the heading of the runway. For example, if the runway has the number 31 it means that to be aligned with the runway you have to fly with a heading of 310 degrees. So simply choose the number closest to your heading.
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The missed step here is to get an ATIS/ASOS/AWOS report off the ATC menu to determine which way the prevailing wind is blowing and how strong. That dictates whether you should in fact try to land at that airfield or you should seek alternates, including turning back.
If you’re flying a plane with a Flight Management System that can read prevailing wind while airborne, use that. So that’s a different approach.
Only then should you think about which runway you need. 
Since it sounds like they’re using custom clear VFR weather, I don’t believe this is a huge issue in this instance.
ATIS also provides runways in use, which dictates which end to use, to avoid potential TCs.
I use real live weather - I just only fly in places with nice weather 
I seem to find random unmanned airports where the ATC doesn’t even answer me
Noooo way, I had no idea that is what set the runway numbers, always had me wondering why on earth they couldn’t use just 1,2,3 and 4 lol
Thanks very very much for that, this fully answers me question (of disregarding the weather and treating MSFS as a game and just landing at the runway I’m best aligned with)
Many airport don’t have any formal “ATC” to respond. So normally you’ll just broadcast on a common frequency for anyone that might be hearing you. You’re on your own…see and be seen without formal ATC control of the runways!
Some uncontrolled airports have an “informal” control done by local people (FBO’s, etc).
Regards
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Ah yes thank you so much, that’s exactly what I meant, I just had never realised “runway 31” meant its in the heading 310(ish), nor did it click when I checked Google maps for random airports I’ve found that runway 09 was literally facing east 
They’re not random, probably uncontrolled (no tower) airports that only have a CTAF (Common Traffic Advisory Frequency). All aircraft operating at that field are obligated to listen on CTAF and make appropriate calls regarding intentions (i.e., taxi, T/O, landing, position in the landing pattern etc).
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