RUNWAY NUMBERS AND THEIR MEANINGS

I just wanted to simply start explaining the meaning of these big numbers painted at the end of runways.

These are symbolizing the numbers range between 0°-360°. As you can see, there is not any

number painted on the runway like 183, 191 or 280 or 152 etc. These are the

decadegrees numbers ranging 0-36 and symbolizing the 0°-360°. So if runway number is 05

then the runway position is 50° or approximately 50° or runway 18 then the runway is 180° or

approximately 180° and also runway 36 points the north (360° rather than 0°). If the runway points

358° then the runway is 36 or the runway points to 253 ° then the runway is 25 etc. Also one runway

has two number from opposite sides differ by 18. It means 180 ° from other side such as runway

5R/23L or 5L/23R or runway 18/36 etc. Most airport drop the leading zero number from runway. For

example instead of runway zero five (05), it is runway five (5). In the first picture it is runway 18,

the second picture runway 19R, the third picture is 28L. The appendings 'R' and 'L' mean 'Right' and

'Left'. Because there are some airports consists of more than one runways paralel to each other.

Sometimes there are more than one or two runways parallel to each other. In this case, runways are

named 19R and 19L or 17R,17C,17L etc... The 'C' appending mean 'Center'. Because there are

sometimes more than two or three runways parallel to each other. At Dallas/Forth Worth

International Airport there are five parallel runways named 17L, 17C, 17R, 18L and 18R.

These identifiers are shifted by 10 degree to avoid ambiguity and all are oriented at a heading of

175.4 degree.


These numbers are oriented according to Magnetic North Pole differs from North Pole. This is

the North Pole also called Georgraphic North Pole.

 Magnetic Pole is not in the same location true north and moves 10 to 40 km per year.

The picture above shows us the Magnetic North Pole changes according to the Polar Shift at the core of Earth.

It is a simple picture that shows us the compass and how it works according to Magnetic North.

All these runway numbers are designated in regard to Magnetic North Pole which is shifting every year even now. With Polar Shift, runway number might change. For example if runway 23 degree is 229 and with the polar shift, if it becomes 227 by 2 degree downward then runway number remains same but if it jumps to 232 degree by 5 degree upwards then runway number will change and it will be runway 23. This is not common and not welcoming situation for airports. With the change of runway numbers, documentations for aviation will be changed and the runways have to be repainted.

For instance, Cork Airport Runways change over 50 years as a result of Earth's magnetic poles.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/designation-numbers-of-cork-airport-runway-to-change-for-first-time-50-years-377269.html

 It does not mean that after Magnetic Pole change, all runways will be affected by this situation, It might vary from countries to countries, cities to cities.

STATIC WICKS ( STATIC DISCHARGER )

All the time i travel with an aircraft, i always wondered what the little sticks 

attached on the edges of wings looks like little antennas attached on winglets, 

ailerons, flap tracks and also on rudder and elevator


The static wicks on winglet and aileron.



The static wicks on rudder



The static wicks on elevator and horizontal stabilizer.





















The static wicks on flap tracks




Let's have a closer look this little sticks and what it is used for.







This little sticks are used to discharge the static electrictiy caused by the 

friction of air flowing through the surface of aircraft in dry environment, rain , 

snow , ice or dust particules.When the aircraft charge is great enough, it 

discharge into the surrounding air. It controls the interference that static 

charge causes for radio communications and navigation. Therefore it allows 

the continous satisfactory operation onboard navigation and radio 

communication.


What is static electricty ? ( To whom want to be informed )

Static Wicks Demonstration

When the air flows through the fuselage of the aircraft, the friction of air ionizes the fuselage with positive charge so that the electrons on the parts of aircraft would release itself from aircraft through the exteremist points of the parts of fuselase such as winglets, flap tracks, ailerons, vertical stabilizer, horizontal stabilizer. These static wicks discharge this electrons from aircraft and it defuses. If there would not be any static discharger wick, the electrons would be accumulating itself on the sharp points of fuselage such as radio and navigations equipments. That's the point where interfere occurs with the signals transmitted through these equipments. It might also cause communication to be lost which would be a bad thing.

This is a very good video to see what the static electricity on wings

This is my video about the static discharger explanation.