Runway Number Question

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HPNFlyGirl

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I have a question about runway numbering. Today I over heard my instructor talking to the chief instructor saying that the runway numbers at LHZ have changed from 4-22 to 5-23. Management changed a while back at LHZ, but why did the numbers on the runway have to change?
 
HPNFlyGirl said:
I have a question about runway numbering. Today I over heard my instructor talking to the chief instructor saying that the runway numbers at LHZ have changed from 4-22 to 5-23. Management changed a while back at LHZ, but why did the numbers on the runway have to change?
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Magnetic north pole moves a little each year. The runway headings didn't move (with respect to the geographic north pole), but the magnetic north pole moved with respect to them. The old numbers no longer fell within +/- 5 degrees of the magnetic heading. We just had an airport south of OLM make that switch a couple months ago.
 
Ghery said:
Magnetic north pole moves a little each year. The runway headings didn't move (with respect to the geographic north pole), but the magnetic north pole moved with respect to them. The old numbers no longer fell within +/- 5 degrees of the magnetic heading. We just had an airport south of OLM make that switch a couple months ago.
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Thanks Ghery.
 
well heres a question then - there are a few airports with 3 runways lined up at the same heading, say 078 degrees. Some of the runways will use Runway 7 and some will use runway 8. How can that be?

An example is KPHX. Another is KLAX.
 
NickDBrennan said:
well heres a question then - there are a few airports with 3 runways lined up at the same heading, say 078 degrees. Some of the runways will use Runway 7 and some will use runway 8. How can that be?

An example is KPHX. Another is KLAX.
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Detroit Metro Airport (KDTW) Used to have three parallel runways 3-21 and there was a right, left and center. Now they have four parallel runways and two of them are 3-21 and the other two are 4-22. I would have to imagine that is to avoid confusion. Otherwise they would have to do something funny with the two center runways. Can you imagine a 21R 21L 21CL and 21CR. Wow, that would be strange. By the way KLAX has four parallel runways as well.

Jeannie
 
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I think Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson Internation Airport is like that as well Jeannie. As much as I fly in to ATL youd think I'd know eh?
 
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