Why is 11R/29L used for runways?

Question

Why is 11R/29L used for runways?

Answer 1

The figures/letters used are for runway identifications for landing and departing aircraft when a Pilot asks for or listens to ATIS broadcasts for active airports.

The figures refer to the runway in use specified in actual magnetic compass degrees it points in the direction of, so 11 is equal to 110 degrees and 29 is 180 degrees opposite so 290 degrees. The letter R denotes the circuit traffic direction that's active in this case Right so RW in use 11 Right hand circuit or departure and L being Left dictates that it's RW 29 (290 degrees) Left hand circuits.

Understood?

Best Regards

Capt Ken Wood

Answer 2

I agree with your first 2 answers.

Answer 3

Another vote for Cherokee.  If you other guys are pilots, tell me where you are, and I'll stay far far away.  I am amazed at the variety of answers here.

Answer 4

The R and the L means runway LEFT or runway RIGHT.

The numbers 11 are a shorthand for a compass heading 110 degrees (they use the first TWO positions to identify a runway. The same runway being approached from the OPPOSITE direction would be the reciprocal of the first headding (A runway compass heading of 110 would have the reciprocal heading of 240 degrees hence the runway would be know as 24 -Lor R.

Answer 5

kenneth.s.wood@btinter...,

you are either a liar about being a pilot or you are in desperate need of some remedial training,

the L and R designation is for  runways its self.. Many large airports have parallel runways there might be 2 or even 3 runways with the same number,ie 32L, 32R

Runway numbers and letters are determined from the approach direction. The runway number is the whole number nearest one-tenth the magnetic azimuth of the centerline of the runway, measured clockwise from the magnetic north. The letters, differentiate between left (L), right (R), or center (C), parallel runways, as applicable:

This is not just a US thing but a IACO(International Civil Aviation Organization) thing!

In the US, standard traffic patterns (circuits) are left turns.  This info is in the Airport Facility Directory (you do look at this when flight planning dont ya?) and will tell you what direction the traffic pattern is.

At those airports without an operating control tower, a segmented circle visual indicator system, if installed, is designed to provide traffic pattern information.

Answer 6

For the number designation, you simply drop the final zero from the compass direction (in degrees from North, to the nearest 10 degree radial) in which the runway is oriented. Thus, a runway laid out due East and West (090 and 270 degrees, respectively) would be '09/27'.

For the letter designation, if you have parallel runways, depending on the wind direction, a specific runway might be either R(ight) or L(eft). Thus, in the above example, if the wind was coming from the East, and you were assigned the Northern runway, you would be landing on 09L. At the same airport, if you were landing to the West, the Northern runway would be 27R.

Answer 7

The second part of De Duce's answer is incorrect.  The opposite heading of 110 is 290, not 240.  

kenneth.s.wood  is completely off the wall.  I have no idea where he pulled that c**p from.  

Cherokee's answer is spot on.  If you are looking for the correct answer, look no further than his.

Answer 8

Wowee!  I still don't understand why people want to come on here and claim to have credentials they don't have and want to post answers in subjects they know nothing about.

In this case it's the guy who mistakenly believed that L and R designations have something to do with left and right traffic.  This suggests the answerer has read one or two books on aviation or airmanship, but has never actually flown and did not remember his reading correctly.

Cherokee's answer is correct.  The L and R designations refer to parallel runways, in which there are two that have the same magnetic headings, and so are designated Left and Right to keep them separate.

I say again, Wowee!

Answer 9

11 stands for 110º.  

110º approximates  (usually, but not always, within 5º) the magnetic orientation of the runway.