Why Runway Numbers Can Change? #aviation

Added: 2026-05-21

[00:00:00]This runway can literally change its name. Not because the concrete moves, but because North moves.

[00:00:06]Runway numbers are compass bearings, rounded to the nearest 10 [music] degrees. So, 27 means pilots are roughly facing 270 degrees. But [music] Earth's magnetic North keeps drifting, so the same strip can creep from 274 to 276 to 278. And once the [music] rounded number changes, the airport renames the giant number. The runway didn't move, the compass did. Green wants the first shot. [music] The tiny needle was already drifting.

[00:00:33]Bye.