runway

Runway 27 points roughly 270 degrees; the same strip from the other end is runway 09. Parallel runways get an L, C or R suffix. Because the numbers follow magnetic north, a few airports have had to repaint theirs as magnetic variation drifted. Knowing which runway is in use, and from which end, is the single most useful fact for planning where to stand.

Nearby in Aviation

• retro livery — A historic paint scheme reapplied to a current aircraft, usually for an anniversary.
• rotate — Raising the nose at VR to lift the aircraft off the runway.
• short final — The last part of final approach, close in to the runway threshold.
• slats — Movable surfaces at the leading edge of the wing that extend to let the wing fly at a higher angle of attack.