Questions tagged [runways]

A runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and takeoff of aircraft" (ICAO definition).

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What determines the active runway and is crosswind or headwind with crosswind better?

Today I read the METAR for Mumbai airport (VABB) and it goes like this VABB 180730Z 23007KT 3000 HZ NSC 28/14 Q1013 NOSIG Here the wind is 07 knots from 230, so if ...
Aadiraj Anil's user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
180 views

What determines the name of the runway if it is not active (for atc instructions)

I was not succesful with finding an answer to this anywhere on the web. Let’s assume we have multiple runways in the airport and ATC controller gives us instructions to cross certain runway that is ...
pedrouan's user avatar
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Why does the taxiway parallel to Runway 18 at Frankfurt Airport exist?

I was looking at these two questions about the single direction takeoff-only runway 18 at Frankfurt Airport (EDDF) when I noticed that it has a full-length taxiway (taxiway Y5) to its east. As far as ...
331821's user avatar
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3 votes
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Should you line-up the runway 90 degrees or follow the yellow marking?

I had a discussion with somebody recently. I prefer to do a 90 degree line-up on the runway, ensuring max take-off run available. (in GA airplanes...) However, somebody pointed out that one should ...
Ted Staggs's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
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How can a surface created with asphalt be considered "Rigid" and not "Flexible"? Isn't concrete that is rigid and asphalt that is flexible?

How can a surface created with asphalt be considered "Rigid" and not "Flexible"? Isn't concrete that is rigid and asphalt that is flexible? This was also stated in the answer to ...
pilot162's user avatar
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6 votes
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How common is the use of "quick-set asphalt" on runways such that flights may begin just a few hours after paving?

In the DCist's August 8, 2023 At DCA, Crews Race Each Night To Repave A Bit Of Runway Before The Next Day’s Flights they describe how runway repaving at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) ...
uhoh's user avatar
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Why would a pilot request that ATC dim the runway lights?

In this clip, the pilot requests dimmed runway lights. Tower, you able to reduce the runway lights, please? [Tower dims runway lights] Thank you much This seems like ...
cocomac's user avatar
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What happens if the current ICAO method disagrees with double wheel/dual tandem etc?

Is the old U.S. method (a weight max for each landing gear kind) simply ignored? Planes with 3, 12, 14 and 22 wheels are common after all but gear types with those numbers often aren't listed. If the ...
insert name here's user avatar
6 votes
2 answers
327 views

When does taxiing become taking off?

When there is a relocated runway threshold, the PHAK says: When the threshold is relocated, the closed portion of the runway is not available for use by aircraft for takeoff or landing, but it is ...
Chris's user avatar
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Why wouldn't a plane start its take-off run from the very beginning of the runway to keep the option to utilize the full runway if necessary?

I was just watching BSL/LFSB on Flightradar24 and noticed that flight W67772 didn't start its take-off run from the end of the runway. Wouldn't it make sense to start every take-off from the end to ...
Spammer's user avatar
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Runway distance remaining signs outside of USA and/or in meters?

Are there runway distance remaining signs used outside of the United States (and territories)? From what I can tell by reading this document (p. 50), these are standardized by the FAA (§ 2-3-13), but ...
pr1268's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
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Can ski-equipped aircraft land on a conventional runway?

These two aircraft operate in the Antarctic: the image shows their undercarriage adapted for the snow. The nearest plane (a DHC-6 Twin Otter) has had its wheels completely replaced with skis. The ...
Party Ark's user avatar
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4 answers
187 views

What is the benefit of a large number of runways?

I noticed that Chicago Intl has 8 runways. What is the criteria for the number of runways? Many international airports still have one. I can understand the reason for two but what are the factors to ...
Regmi's user avatar
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What exactly is the difference between HIALS and HIALS-II lighting systems?

What exactly is the difference between HIALS and HIALS-II lighting systems? The symbols at the beginning of the runways are very different and I cannot classify them in a particular way. But in ...
pilot162's user avatar
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Where to find generic weight take off charts for planes?

Where can I find a generic weight take off chart for planes? I looked online but maybe I'm not looking in the right place? Related: How do I use the takeoff and landing distance charts in the C172 POH?...
Justintimeforfun's user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
285 views

When and why was AGGH's runway 06/24 shortened?

AGGH has one runway, 06/24. When looking at an aerial photo of said runway, I noticed something interesting: (Image by Graeme Bartlett at Wikimedia Commons.) My interest was piqued by seeing what ...
Vikki's user avatar
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17 votes
4 answers
4k views

What's the benefit of grass versus hardened runways?

I was watching a video and realised that this airport operates both grass and paved runways. What would the benefit of grass versus hardened runways?
Lucas Kauffman's user avatar
26 votes
1 answer
6k views

Why are taxiway and runway centerline lights off center?

The centerline lights for runways and taxiways are to the side of the centerline itself by a few inches. This, of course, is not a problem, but why are the lights positioned that way? (Image: ...
Charles Nicholson's user avatar
18 votes
5 answers
6k views

(Updated) Why do vertical distances appear much larger than horizontal distances?

Note: I have reformulated this question and provided more concise examples to avoid confusion and allow for better discussion. According to Google Earth, the distance from where the photo below was ...
Charles Nicholson's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
266 views

Why were taxiways marked with numbers (as opposed to letters) back in the day?

I learned through the USAir Flight 1493 and SkyWest Airlines Flight 5569 collision that many taxiways at KLAX were marked with numbers (e.g., Taxiway 45, Taxiway 33) instead of letters (e.g., Taxiway ...
Charles Nicholson's user avatar
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1 answer
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Would it be practical for airports to adopt new terminologies to avoid changing parallel runways' numbers? [duplicate]

Los Angeles International Airport (KLAX), for example, has four parallel runways. Since there are only three designators for parallel runways (L, R, and C), two runways are offset by one unit (i.e., ...
Charles Nicholson's user avatar
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What is the technical reason behind why the FAA standard uses a 1000 ft aiming point and much larger runway numbers than the ICAO standard?

FAA and ICAO standards, respectively. If the larger FAA runway numbers are for easier identification, why wouldn't ICAO also adopt this feature to enhance safety?
Charles Nicholson's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
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There is a difference in the runway lighting systems symbolized in the planview and the lighting system specified in additional runway information?

Although two different lighting systems are symbolized for two runways in the airport plan view, the same lighting system is specified for runways 05 and 23 in the additional runway information ...
pilot162's user avatar
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11 votes
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Which runway should I have used, and how can I properly choose it in later flights?

Today I wanted to fly and could take off from the runway of my choosing. I have wind from 040 at 13KT and the one runway is 09/27. Which runway should I use? I would use runway 09 because an aeroplane ...
Cube Gamer's user avatar
17 votes
2 answers
2k views

When a parallel runway is closed at an uncontrolled field, does the notation change for the operating runway?

I’m currently a CFI/CFII/MEI at a flight school based out of Falcon Field (KFFZ.) Falcon has a pair of runways, 4/22 R/L. When the tower closes, runway 4L/22R is closed. During a training event this ...
Cether's user avatar
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Why is the runway at Ulyanovsk Vostochny Airport so long and wide?

According to Wikipedia, the runway at the Ulyanovsk Vostochny Airport is tied for longest in the world (at 5000 meters/16,000 feet), in addition to being the widest (at 105 meters/344 feet). It's not ...
gsa's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
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What is the minimum runway required for an a320 under 72,000 kg

How much is the absolute minimum runway required for takeoff and landing? How much could you reduce the takeoff/landing distance using various methods (eg-standing takeoff)? I'm talking about an A320 ...
Airbus a325's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
248 views

Taxiway alignment on scissor intersecting runways

I came across this announcement on the first flight on Dublin Airport's new runway and was struck by something in the photo I had not seen before. The traditionally parallel taxiway makes a dogleg at ...
Ian W's user avatar
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ACN/PCN Reporting System - Tire Pressure

I have an Airbus A320neo WV054 and I want to operate at a RWY that has PCN 55/R/D/Y/T. Below is my aircraft ACN data as per the Aircraft Characteristics Manual. Looking at the table I can see that my ...
alQ's user avatar
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0 votes
0 answers
104 views

Perpendicular Distance between PAPI and Aiming point

We are in the middle of a new runway construction. The airport requested the aiming point to follow the PAPI. Should they be aligned head to head, or there can be some meters difference?
Shirley Azer's user avatar
-2 votes
2 answers
109 views

Service to maintain database of airports, runways, helipads, navaid and fixes

I had asked previously for a list of all the data I mention but now would like to be able to maintain this list. I know this is not a site for software developers but does anyone know of a site that ...
Paul's user avatar
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10 votes
2 answers
994 views

Why does ADS-B altitude from multiple landed planes vary so much from one plane to another?

When viewing ADS-B data from sites like FlightAware and Flightradar24 (and also from a personal antenna), the landed altitudes vary greatly from one aircraft to another. What accounts for this ...
bhamjman's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
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Is it appropriate to determine approximate flight altitudes based on ADS-B landed altitude compared to runway elevation?

For small aircraft flying below 2,500 ft. AGL, is it appropriate to compare the landed ADS-B altitude (pressure calibrated AMSL) to the elevation of the runway in order to compute a reference offset ...
bhamjman's user avatar
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12 votes
1 answer
4k views

Why does KBOS have such a short runway?

Runway 15L/33R at Boston Logan is only 2500 ft, which is barely long enough for a Cessna, let alone an airliner. I’m wondering if anyone knows why this runway was built or what purpose it serves. I ...
GeckoFox1001's user avatar
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-4 votes
4 answers
1k views

Any aircraft that can takeoff or land on 150 m / 500 ft runway?

Just spotted on Google Maps: What could be the purpose for building a 150 m / 500 ft runway? I understand that no regular aircraft can takeoff or land on such distance, so certainly the reason isn't ...
trejder's user avatar
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2 votes
0 answers
253 views

Why are the FAROS and the RIL contents removed from AIM?

I was studying runway status light and I found that FAROS (Final Approach Runway Occupancy Signal) and RIL (Runway Intersection Lights) are deleted when I read FAA AIM. It is deleted in the FAA AIM ...
Yangwoon Kim's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
2k views

Is it legal for a pilot to takeoff/land at an non-towered airport if the pilot controlled runway lights are inoperative?

In the U.S., at night (as defined in FAR 1.1) at a non-towered airport in Class E surface airspace with pilot controlled/activated runway lights, is it legal for a pilot to takeoff and/or land if the ...
user avatar
3 votes
5 answers
4k views

Would it be possible to put wind turbines alongside runways that are driven by the exhaust of planes?

The only thing somewhat similar that I could find is research from students to use air vents from factories. This is of course a much lower force to deal with. I'm curious if someone could give some ...
Max's user avatar
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0 votes
0 answers
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Gain Extra force from Weight in Slopped Runway [duplicate]

No doubt that skiing sports is great especialy when your weight is the main force which speed up your motion in snow. I was asking myself, why we don't use the same concept for huge planes & ...
Miracle Airfoil's user avatar
7 votes
1 answer
464 views

Why did KJFK keep using runways 22R/L here instead of switching to 13R/L?

In this YouTube video, one can see the arrival at KJFK, holding patterns, and eventual diversion to KPHL of LH400, an A380. When LH400 arrives in the New York area, the pilots request the use of ...
Vikki's user avatar
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7 votes
7 answers
5k views

Minimum number of runways required for international airports?

What is the minimum number of runways required for an International Airport to be operational - commercial aviation? Would two runways suffice?
Gokul Nath KP's user avatar
10 votes
1 answer
718 views

Are there specific surface requirements prior to an ILS Category 2 runway approach threshold to ensure the accuracy of the Radio Altimeter derived DH?

ILS Category 2 approaches use a Radio Altimeter (RA) derived DH (Decision Height). An RA measures the aircraft height directly above the surface immediately below the aircraft. Any sloping terrain, ...
user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
754 views

Has the infamous Sao Paulo runway been made longer or replaced meanwhile?

The TAM 3054 accident occured because the pilots were stressed by the fact they needed to land on a not-so-long runway where an incident occured a day before. This stress has lead the pilots to forget ...
Giovanni's user avatar
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18 votes
1 answer
1k views

What's this turquoise stuff covering the overlap between the blast pads of KBOS runways 04L and 09?

Although runways 04L/22R and 09/27 at KBOS stop just short of intersecting, the blast pads for runways 04L and 09, which continue some distance beyond the ends of the runways proper, do intersect. ...
Vikki's user avatar
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5 votes
3 answers
2k views

What, exactly, is a final controller?

This http://www.xavius.com/ordapp.html tutorial mentions the user work song as a final controller for two runways and says that during busy periods one controller would work each runway. I’ve never ...
PlaneFan's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
1k views

What is the minimum runway surface friction coefficient?

After calculating the friction coefficient for an asphalt runway pavement through a test, how to know if it’s acceptable or not? In other words, hat is the lowest acceptable value for friction ...
AeroEng's user avatar
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0 answers
80 views

Can a stopway withstand thrust of B737 engines on takeoff if the aircraft is lined up on the edge of the runway?

Can the thrust of Boeing 737-300 engines break the asphalt surface of a stopway marked with yellow chevrons? Can anyone give a documented reference?
ali mir's user avatar
6 votes
2 answers
442 views

What is the rationale behind placing arrestor gear on a long runway?

I'm looking at the obstacle chart and the aerodrome chart (pdf; source: Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority) for LGLM (Lemnos, Greece), which serves both military and passenger aircraft. The runway ...
user avatar
11 votes
2 answers
2k views

Why would an airport use an L/R runway combination and a second number instead of L/C/R?

At KPHX, there's a Runway 25L/R and a runway 26. What would the reasoning be for using this instead of what seems to be the more common L/C/R designation?
a25bedc5-3d09-41b8-82fb-ea6c353d75ae's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
110 views

Is the longitudinal extremity of an obstacle limitation surface based on the threshold or the displaced threshold?

In a case where a displaced threshold (DTHR) is present, should the longitudinal extremity of the obstacle limitation surfaces (for example, the conical surfaces) be counted from the threshold (THR) ...
Yassine Oubaslam's user avatar

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