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 meticulously designed with features like alignment to prevailing winds, a slight crown for drainage, and daily inspections to remove foreign object debris (FOD).
Their numbering reflects magnetic headings and can change with Earth's shifting magnetic field, while various markings and segmented circles guide pilots on traffic patterns and approach types.
The definition of a "long" runway is subjective and often dictated by aircraft type and insurance, and historically, runways have been part of clever camouflage efforts, such as disguising factories during WWII.

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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.