34R-16L?

[Warks]

You see this little sign all over airport runways. What's it mean?
I've seen 25R-7L (or vice versa) here in USA as well. I assume it's something to do with Left and Right and a distance but can anyone explain?

 

[Dave Noble]

You see this little sign all over airport runways. What's it mean?
I've seen 25R-7L (or vice versa) here in USA as well. I assume it's something to do with Left and Right and a distance but can anyone explain?

It is the number of the runway and has the format n[L|R|C|]

Where n is the [approximate] number of degrees from 0 Magnetic that the runway point; each runway has, therefore 2 numbers


L indicates that it is the left runway

C indicates that it is the Centre runway

R indicates that it is the Right runway

e.g. 25R would be the right of 2 or more runways aimed at 250 degrees; approached from the other end would be 7L since it will be aimed at 250-180 = 70 degrees and be the left of 2 or more runways

Dave

 

[Platy]

Small point but you would see "07" (pronounced ZERO-SEVEN) not "7"

At Sydney the crossing runway, used to be called the east-west is 07-25, so if you take/off land from the brighton end you are on 07 (ie facing roughly east at 070 degrees).

The two parallel runways are 16R-34L (main runway - so when landing to the south towards botany bay you are facing 160 degrees on the right hand runway) and 16L-34R (third runway).

Around the airport you will see these marked by white on red signs - mandatory guidance signs - placed at the edge of the runway - you will also see white pyrimad blocks called gable markers which mark the true edge of the runways...the so-called runway strip which extends beyond the tarmac and into the grass edge verges.

Because the numbers are for two ends of the same straight line they have a difference of 18 (ie. 180 degrees)...

The taxiways have just letters as markings (eg A for ALPHA, is the main taxiway for runway 16R-34L at Sydney running from by the International terminal all the way out on the Botany Bay spur) and are marked by yellow/balck signs - side-branches off taxiways get a number - so you will see B1 and B2 on signs as you go in and out of the main aporn area at QF in Sydney Domestic

 

[infoworks]

Platy explains it well. Pilots get clearance to land on 24L, for example, and know exactly where that is - all over the world.

 

[thadocta]

A good guide to all Australian airports is located here, as far as runways and taxiways go.

Dave

 

[markis10]

If it says 27R 4056 that means the take off distance from that point is 4056 metres.

 

[straitman]

Small point but you would see "07" (pronounced ZERO-SEVEN) not "7"

Actually another small point.

In the USA they do just use single digits. ie "7" indicates that the runway direction is 070 degrees magnetic +- 5 degrees.

In many other countries (incl OZ) you would see "07" to indicate the same thing.