EGGD From United Kingdom, joined Feb 2001, 12426 posts, RR: 41 Posted (11 years 2 months 4 weeks 1 day 13 hours ago) and read 3510 times:
Odd question...
I assumed that ALL runways were flat, it never occured to me that they might not be. But the first time I went spotting at my home airport, I noticed there is a huge difference in elavation. The rwy27 threshold is level with the terminal area, then it dips down to about 5m below, and then rises to about 5m above, and then stays at that height until the rwy9 threshold. Doesn't sound much, but BELIEVE ME, the runway is one of the worst i've seen (you can't see an aircraft on the rwy9 threshold from the rwy27threshold).
I thought that we were a one off, but the airport closest to me (Filton), is on a camber, much like MAN's main runway, 24R/6L. Where it peaks in height in the middle. Also, BHX is much like Bristol, in fact they are pretty similar apart from EGBB's is longer.. (we are not talking about users' thingy.....nevermind).
Also, I know of Jersey, Munich, Courcheval all have runways that are by no means flat.
So how flat is the runway near you? Anyone have any strange shape ones? Is there a legal limit to how steep a runway can be?
DIA From United States of America, joined Jan 2001, 3273 posts, RR: 30 Reply 1, posted (11 years 2 months 4 weeks 1 day 13 hours ago) and read 3375 times:
All I can tell you is DIA's runways look like pancakes compare to old Stapleton's. Those looked like roller coasters, especially the old east-west runways!
Cheers, DIA
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QANTAS747-438 From United States of America, joined Jan 2001, 1800 posts, RR: 2 Reply 3, posted (11 years 2 months 4 weeks 1 day 12 hours ago) and read 3342 times:
Dripstick From Canada, joined Dec 2001, 2364 posts, RR: 24 Reply 4, posted (11 years 2 months 4 weeks 1 day 12 hours ago) and read 3342 times:
Flat runways are fairly rare. The only seemingly "flat" strip I can recall was Amsterdam. Most terrain has slight grades to deal with. If a runway was totaly level, think of the drainage problems. Would bring a whole new meaning to the term hydroplaning.
FlightSimFreak From United States of America, joined Oct 2000, 720 posts, RR: 0 Reply 7, posted (11 years 2 months 4 weeks 1 day 12 hours ago) and read 3309 times:
Where the GA runway crosses the big one at my airport, there is a big bump... I guess it's for drainage on the big one. Sometimes, if you're right at rotation, it can catapult you into the air... kinda fun.
HAL From United States of America, joined Jan 2002, 2465 posts, RR: 53 Reply 8, posted (11 years 2 months 4 weeks 1 day 12 hours ago) and read 3297 times:
The runways at Honolulu, including the reef runway are completely flat. At Seattle however, it is pretty straight (without bumps) but the north end is almost 80 feet higher than the south end.
HAL
One smooth landing is skill. Two in a row is luck. Three in a row and someone is lying.
Big777jet From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 10, posted (11 years 2 months 4 weeks 1 day 10 hours ago) and read 3240 times:
Worse steep runway in the U.S.A. is Cape Newenham, Alaska. Rwy 14 elev is 230 feet and Rwy 32 elev is 541 feet almost 311 feet down the runway 34 for take off only and up the runway 14 landing only. The miss approach is inprobable!!!! Ahhhh!!! BTW, the runway is gravel at 3,950 feet length! I found the picture of airport! Here is http://www.firebirds.org/menu10/mn10_p61.htm
Gmanmn From United States of America, joined Sep 2001, 23 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (11 years 2 months 4 weeks 1 day 9 hours ago) and read 3223 times:
Most commercial aircraft have a limitation of + or - 2% runway slope. That is measured from threashold to threashold. This data is published in most countries aeronautical publications for the airport data. Hope this helps...
DeltaASA16 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 12, posted (11 years 2 months 4 weeks 1 day 8 hours ago) and read 3201 times:
I was in Alpe-Du-huez. It is a ski resort in France south east of Lyon, and the airport there is anything but flat. It is practiaclly built up the mountain. I did some spotting and the planes (single engine props) would roll over the crest of the hill and plunge down the side of the mountain and then gadually lift off the runway. The planes landed opposite. Landed while flying positive fpm!! Then would coast to the runway and tehn add power and climb upward and touchdown on the runway! It was soo cool to watch
Kind of like the airport in TOMMOROW NEVER DIES 007
DeltaASA16
Galilee From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 13, posted (11 years 2 months 4 weeks 1 day 8 hours ago) and read 3195 times:
Seems like large dips, like the one in the ATL picture would cause a major water drainage problem. Wouldn't all just collect there? How are airplane tires with regard to water removal?
KAUSpilot From United States of America, joined Jan 2002, 1955 posts, RR: 37 Reply 14, posted (11 years 2 months 4 weeks 1 day 8 hours ago) and read 3184 times:
There are almost no truly flat runways. Just pick up an airport facility directory, every runway has a slope grade in its information.
Galilee: The runways are humped in the middle, so the water drains off to each side. It's not a lot, but the center line of the runway might be maybe a foot higher than either edge. This is an approximation, it may be less, may be more.
RoyalDutch From United States of America, joined Mar 2001, 917 posts, RR: 3 Reply 19, posted (11 years 2 months 4 weeks 1 day 7 hours ago) and read 3153 times:
When the bus goes by the end of RW 22 here in Prague, you can see that it looks like its got huge waves in it....I always wondered about that too, as i've never seen anything actually use 22...
GoldenShield From United States of America, joined Jan 2001, 5427 posts, RR: 13 Reply 20, posted (11 years 2 months 4 weeks 1 day 7 hours ago) and read 3150 times:
Catalina Island, CA, (AVX) has a BIG hill in the middle of the runway, so a/c on both sides cannot see each other. It is a 3000 foot runway that it 1000 feet MSL, with a cliff at both ends just feet from the runway. Imagine a mountain with the top chopped off.
Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun.
Demoose From United Kingdom, joined Mar 2001, 1952 posts, RR: 26 Reply 22, posted (11 years 2 months 4 weeks 23 hours ago) and read 3078 times:
At Manchester runway 24R/6L has a hump in the middle. I've watched aircraft take off from 6L from the far end of the runway and you can only see half the runway, then out of nowhere a jet emerges over the runway horizon and flies right over, great to watch.
ThirtyEcho From United States of America, joined Dec 2001, 1634 posts, RR: 1 Reply 23, posted (11 years 2 months 4 weeks 22 hours ago) and read 3064 times:
Nighthawk From UK - Scotland, joined Sep 2001, 4985 posts, RR: 39 Reply 24, posted (11 years 2 months 4 weeks 21 hours ago) and read 3055 times:
i remember hearing that cape canaveral is the flattest runway in the world, with a difference of something like 2mm between elevation at each ends. Apparently it is so flat that it conforms to the curviture of the earth
That'll teach you
25 EGGD: Kai Tak was pretty damn flat, If I remember rightly... Demoose, as I said before, the main rwy does have that odd hump: http://www.planepictures.net/n
26 Schreiner: R/W atr AMS/SPL is as flat as a dubbeltje (dime) (all 5 of them) Gr, Schreiner
27 Wjv04: guys, its pretty odd to think that a runway would be flat you take a 10000ft long road, how flat would that be?
28 Dripstick: Schreiner...don't you mean as flat as a euro-dime?
29 VapourTrails: I was going to ask a question about runway surfaces! On the new video Concorde: The New Era the runway at Exeter Airport that Concorde is departing fr
30 PW100: Indeed, Schiphol (AMS) runways are very flat [level]. All 5 runways have less than one feet elevation difference from the beginning to the end of thw
31 Jwenting: Depends on which end you start, PW100. It's -11 feet on the high end No using the slope of the runway to slow down here...
32 Tguman: here's is a picture of the shape of La Aurora's runway. The runway here in TGU is flat but it slopes downward the whole way from runway1 to 19 Click f
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