Runway headings and variation

[airball]

I notice that Shoreham is having a new r/w built as 21/03 is out of sync with compass according to Aiport info publication. Are all runways not out of sync due variation after a few years? If so why has Heathrow and Gatwick not realigned their's and does the variation not come back round after several years anyhow.

[FlyingForFun]

Airports don't "reallign" their runways - that would imply moving the runway, which tends to be a big task. Much easier to just re-number the runway, and that's exactly what is done.

Someone who has been around aviation for longer than me will be able to confirm that the runway numbers at Heathrow were changed, not all that long ago. Can't actually remember what they were changed from, though? I have a feeling they used to be 28/10 (it was either that, or 26/08) until not-so-long-ago-that-there-are-still-people-around-who-remember.

FFF
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[brimstone]

airball - Shoreham Airport's runway 21/03 is being re-designated 20/02. The information you read was probably being tongue-in-cheek. Heathrow's runways used to be 28L/10R and 28R/10L and changed sometime in the late 80s or early 90s. Farnborough's runway recently changed from 25/07 to 24/06 and there are many other examples.

[airball]

Quite right. Redesignated.Got confused with the new Heli developments and assumed a new longer runway was in the offing 10' off the old

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Heathrow did change its runway numbers a few years ago. They used to be 28/10.. now 09/27. I was on night duty when it happened and they had enormous trouble shoving them round that last few seconds.... had to get my Reliant Robin out to help!

[carbheatcold]

Shoreham are currently investigating a new longer runway but I cannot remember the proposed alignment off the top of my head. You might find the details on their website.

http://www.shorehamairport.co.uk/

chc

[TR4A]

Here is a good website for the magnetic pole and its movement.

http://www.geolab.nrcan.gc.ca/geomag/northpole_e.shtml

[Musket90]

Heathrow was changed overnight from 10/28 to 09/27 in July 1987. Fortunately the weather was dry otherwise we couldn't have changed the painted designators on the planned and published changeover date.