Author Topic: How runway's number is defined??  (Read 7318 times)

Offline falcon

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 4
How runway's number is defined??
« on: December 11, 2005, 05:21:11 PM »
When I fly with my friend's from and to a small airports. I see there is number like runway 11 or 12. How do they define these numbers and what does it mean.. Thanx



Offline PHL Approach

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 742
How runway's number is defined??
« Reply #1 on: December 11, 2005, 05:29:30 PM »
Magnetic heading, runway 12 - heading 120, runway 33 - heading 330.

Offline davolijj

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 559
  • MMAC ARSR OKC
How runway's number is defined??
« Reply #2 on: December 11, 2005, 05:30:41 PM »
Runway number are derived from the heading of which it is oriented.  In other words, runway 11 would be oriented on a 110 degrees heading.  This graphic illustrates it.

Offline Jason

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1260
  • CFI/CFII
How runway's number is defined??
« Reply #3 on: December 11, 2005, 05:44:10 PM »
Also note that the magnetic headings of runways are not always exact.  Magnetic variation (shown as isogonic lines on Sectional Charts) also changes over the years.  Many airports over a long period of time have had to scrape the numbers off their runways because the magnetic variation shifted the runway heading.

Magnetic headings are also rounded up or down when runway numbers are created, so if the heading of a runway is 164 it would be runway 16, while a magnetic heading of 166 would be rounded up and be dictated runway 17.

Offline mdr666

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 10
How runway's number is defined??
« Reply #4 on: December 12, 2005, 01:57:41 AM »
Also, parallel runways are sometime numbered 1 above or below the actual heading. For example, KATL has runways 27L and 27R which have a heading of 272. They also have 2 other rwys which are parallel to those: 26L and 26R.

Offline Sirclown82

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 138
How runway's number is defined??
« Reply #5 on: December 12, 2005, 10:31:33 AM »
Yeah check out dfw. they all have a magnetic heading of 355 & 175 and they are labeled as 35L/C/R, 36 L/R and 18L/R and 17L/C/R. Thats a good example of:

Quote
Also, parallel runways are sometime numbered 1 above or below the actual heading. For example, KATL has runways 27L and 27R which have a heading of 272. They also have 2 other rwys which are parallel to those: 26L and 26R.