Runway designators, UK
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Runway designators, UK
I don't really know much about magnetic variation, but does anybody know how fast the magnetic change is in the UK? I seem to make it a 1 degree change about every 5 years but not sure if that's right.
I ask because Luton's magnetic heading for RWY26 is only 256 degrees and Prestwick's RWY31 is 306. These values are decreasing so how long can we expect before we see Luton become 07/25 and Prestwick's main runway 12/30? In other words, before it falls below 255 and 305 respectively?
I ask because Luton's magnetic heading for RWY26 is only 256 degrees and Prestwick's RWY31 is 306. These values are decreasing so how long can we expect before we see Luton become 07/25 and Prestwick's main runway 12/30? In other words, before it falls below 255 and 305 respectively?
Just curious, but why do you say this?
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RAF Syerston had to change its runway designations about 2-3 years ago.
RW25 became RW24,
RW34 became RW33,
RW31 became RW30
And obviously the reciprocal runways too.
When they changed we were told we could all look forward to it again in another 10-15 years.
RW25 became RW24,
RW34 became RW33,
RW31 became RW30
And obviously the reciprocal runways too.
When they changed we were told we could all look forward to it again in another 10-15 years.
When they changed
we were told we could all look forward to it again in another 10-15 years.
Last edited by DaveReidUK; 17th Feb 2013 at 16:59.
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Prestwick's main runway is oriented approximately 121.4°/301.4° (true). Add the current declination of 3.7°, reducing by about 10' per annum, and you're already almost at the 125°/305° (magnetic) point below which the designator will become 12/30.
There's also the point that, to an extent, the designator is an identifier of the runway rather than an indication of its direction. I seem to recall hearing of parallel runways given designators suggesting that their direction differs by 10 deg in order to avoid potential confusion between L/C/R. Similarly, I recall hearing of a 13/31 being redesignated to overcome the human condition where it's just a little too easy to transpose the numbers in our heads.
I seem to recall hearing of parallel runways given designators suggesting that their direction differs by 10 deg in order to avoid potential confusion between L/C/R.
So, for example, Paris CDG has 08L/08R and 09L/09R, all with the same heading.
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Interesting. It's very unusual for more than one runway at an airfield to change designation at the same time, unless of course they are an exact multiple of 10° apart.
Stansted and London City both changed theirs on the same day. July 5th 2009 if I remember correctly! I listened to London City ATIS for the first time that day and when it said runway 27, I was really confused!!!
Humberside did it about 3 or 4 years ago. They changed 03/21 to 02/20 and 09/27 to 08/26 at the same time.
Stansted and London City both changed theirs on the same day.
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To add to the fun. London Airport's runways 16/34 changed to 15/33 in 1952. On 2nd July, 1987 Heathrow's 28/10 changed to 27/09. I know - I was there! The airport authority hitched up every tractor they could find to drag the runways round to their new headings, but it wasn't enough. Luckily, I had used my wife's Reliant Robin for work that night and we hitched that up too and its immense power soon had the runways lined up...
Luckily, I had used my wife's Reliant Robin for work that night and we hitched that up too and its immense power soon had the runways lined up...
Northolt floated as runway alternative | News | Travel Trade Gazette
I did this exercise when we were changing Farnborough from miltary to civil specification.
I had calculated (from the rate of change notified on half million charts) that it would be sometime in 2005 when we would need to change from 07/25 to 06/24, however when I enquired, I was informed that the change in variation is calculated in 4 yearly 'epochs', and that as a new epoch was imminent, the runway would need to be re-designated in early 2003. As the runway was being re-surfaced at the time of my enquiry, we asked and obtained permission to re-designate it slightly early ie autumn 2002.
I had calculated (from the rate of change notified on half million charts) that it would be sometime in 2005 when we would need to change from 07/25 to 06/24, however when I enquired, I was informed that the change in variation is calculated in 4 yearly 'epochs', and that as a new epoch was imminent, the runway would need to be re-designated in early 2003. As the runway was being re-surfaced at the time of my enquiry, we asked and obtained permission to re-designate it slightly early ie autumn 2002.
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Skipness....
Glasgow main runway 24/06 changed in March 1981 to 23/05 
Glasgow changed 10/28 to 09/27 leaving the main as 05/23.
The next thing they did was withdraw the pesky cross runway entirely.
The next thing they did was withdraw the pesky cross runway entirely.
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I read somewhere that with the present accelerating rate of change of magnetic variation, EGCC might have 01/19 within 70 years.
Like Katla and Jellystone, the next geomagnetic reversal is running a bit late.
Like Katla and Jellystone, the next geomagnetic reversal is running a bit late.
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Having read Chevvron's comment "we asked and obtained permission to re-designate it slightly early" I now know why I had such problems with the ILS.The runway was 10° out of alignment!
Last edited by Another_CFI; 18th Feb 2013 at 21:53.
It's already changed to 244 deg M since then, anyway you should've done a PAR instead. When the LLZ/DME was installed (no GP) I was very careful to ensure the LLZ and PAR Az were co-incidental. We then enjoyed doing approaches with the pilots flying the LLZ whilst we passed instructions to maintain the correct glidepath!