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By: 21st April 2003 at 01:28 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
-the numbers e.g. in 8L and 8R are according to the heading of the runway i believe. so the runways in this case must be facing a heading near enough 80 degrees give or take wotever ammount either side.
anothr example wud be to take meigs the flightsim default airport; runways are 18 and 36 which means that they are near enough facing 360 degrees north and 180 degrees south.
i think im right anyway lol
LGKR
By: 21st April 2003 at 10:33 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
-Spot on there.Also with the left and right thing if an airport has two runways for example 16L and 16R if the aircraft approached from the other direction then 16L would become 34R and 16R would become 34L.Hope that makes some sense ?
By: 21st April 2003 at 11:13 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
-If you have a look at the runway markings on Flight Sim you can see the different idents at the ends of the runways.
By: 21st April 2003 at 12:35 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
-That's right. The numbers are the abbreviated heading in degrees. For instance BHX has 15 and 33. If you approach to land from the north, the runway would be 15 as it lies on a heading of 150 degrees. Approach from the south and it becomes 33, heading 330 degrees, the reciprocal of 15.
Regards,
kev35
By: 21st April 2003 at 14:16 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
-Originally posted by kev35
That's right. The numbers are the abbreviated heading in degrees. For instance BHX has 15 and 33. If you approach to land from the north, the runway would be 15 as it lies on a heading of 150 degrees. Approach from the south and it becomes 33, heading 330 degrees, the reciprocal of 15.Regards,
kev35
You mean, the compass opposite of 15, ie. 150+180=330.
The reciprocal of 15 is 0.067
By: 21st April 2003 at 15:21 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
-Typical accountant!!! ;) In aviation terms we refer to reciprocal as meaning 'the other way'.
Just a few additions fo interest -
The number is actually the magnetic track of the runway to the nearest whole 10 degrees. The magnetic north pole slowly moves which changes the magnetic bearing of evrything on the planet so every few years you may find that a runway is redesignated as it's magnetic track may have change from 325 (Runway 32) to 326 (Runway 33).
If there are three parallel runways the middle runway is referred to as Center (eg Runway 14C.
In most of the world runways are referred to using two numbers and maybe a letter if applicable (eg Runway 08R at LGW). However in America if the magnetic track of the runway is between 006 and 095 degrees they drop the 0, so Runway 08R would become Runway 8R.
Regards
wys
By: 21st April 2003 at 15:34 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
-True as said above. I think it works as if you were rounding to the nearest 10 degrees eg
265-274 would be runway 27 etc
By: 21st April 2003 at 19:11 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
-And it causes havoc on Aircraft carriers cos they've got to to get some dude with a compass at the front telling them when they are pointing the right way for take off / landings !!!...Yup, they have numbers on the carriers as well
LOL (Toungue in cheek!)
By: 21st April 2003 at 20:51 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
-Interesting stuff then, not just a number that the runway designer gets to choose!
Thanks
Posts: 6,503
By: T5 - 21st April 2003 at 00:58
Something that has recently bugged me a little:
Why do airports have such odd numbers for their runways. For example, why do Gatwick have 8R, 8L, 26R and 26L? I can understand the left and the right side of things, but why 8 and 26, why not just 1 and 2?
:confused: A strange question with what probably has a simple enough answer!
Anyway, good-night for now!