Did You Know? 11 Fun Facts About Runways

Here are some weird things you need to know to geek-out about this humble piece of infrastructure.

Tuesday, April 19, 2022 at 09:19 AM ET

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Airports can be hard to judge from the air. The FBOProps app seeks to reveal what arriving pilots can expect. [Courtesy: Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

Runways are engineered with specific features, including alignment to prevailing winds, numerical headings based on magnetic direction (which can change), a crowned surface for drainage, and daily inspections for foreign object debris (FOD).
Various markings and signage, such as "piano keys" for precision approaches and segmented circles for traffic pattern direction, provide crucial visual information for pilots.
Traffic patterns are typically left-hand due to aircraft design but can be designated as right-hand ("RP") on charts, often for reasons like noise abatement.
The definition of a "long" runway is subjective, depending on aircraft type and insurance requirements, and historically, runways have been used in diverse ways, including elaborate wartime camouflage.

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Editor’s Note: This article is part of special series spotlighting runways: April 18: America’s Longest Runways | America’s Shortest Runways | April 19: 11 Fun Facts About Runways | April 20: Self-healing Concrete and How It Can Save Runways | April 21: FLYING Explained: How Do You Read Airport Markings and Signage | Runway History | April 22: Remembering Meigs Field

In 1903, the Wrights brothers’ first flight took place, launching off a track on a sand dune in North Carolina. Soon after, other aircraft designs were developed—some successful, some not—and they all had one thing in common: they needed a way to get into the air and come back down safely.