Are there runways that are numbered only on one side?

Question

For all runways I've known or seen, they're numbered on both sides, with the number on the opposite direction differ by 18.

Are there runways that are numbered only on one side? I.e. due to certain constrains, the runway can only be used in one direction and never the other.

EDIT: I'm looking for runways where the aircraft is always pointing at the same direction. E.g. only runway 9 is available, you can never use runway 27 for whatever reason.

A runway that is blocked on one end will still have two numbers, since you'd land at one direction and takeoff the other.

@Pondlife I was thinking the same, but I don't think hull numbers count! :-) — Marco Sanfilippo, Aug 17 '15 at 16:15
@ratchetfreak You normally can, but that doesn't necessarily mean you're allowed to. — reirab, Aug 17 '15 at 16:15
Well, here's one example, but I'm not sure if it counts, since the reason only one side is numbered is that the airport is closed and a large school was built where the other end of the runway used to be. :) — reirab, Aug 17 '15 at 16:23
Looking at the answers, I think there's some confusion here, perhaps kevin can clarify. Are you asking about a runway - let's call it 18 - where both landings and takeoffs take place on 18, and no operations at all are allowed on 36? Or, are you asking about a runway where all operations take place on the same 'end', i.e. takeoffs on 18 only and landings on 36 only? — Pondlife, Aug 17 '15 at 16:39

score 26 · Accepted Answer · edited Apr 28 '19 at 00:39

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Yes, there are runways numbered on only one side.

For example, the third runway in the Frankfurt Airport (18, Runway west) is used only for takeoffs (to the south) and not for landings. Hence only number 18 is used. The other runways are used for both takeoffs and landings and are numbered 07C/25C, 07R/25L and 07L/25R.

Thomas Römer/OpenStreetMap data [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

This restriction is due to the fact that it will interfere with the traffic in other runways.

Number 36 is not painted.

edited Apr 28 '19 at 00:39

Vikki

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answered Aug 17 '15 at 16:09

aeroalias

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This is interesting and a little surprising. It seems like 36 would be numbered, even if landing on it were only available for emergency use. If a plane needs to land in an emergency, the other runways can be closed anyway, so the conflicting patterns wouldn't be an issue in that case. You are right, though. A Google Maps search shows 36 really isn't numbered. – reirab Aug 17 '15 at 16:18
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@reirab Heathrow is similar. 09L is only used for landings due to noise. Occasionally for ops reasons, take-offs are allowed from 09L and landings on 09R when the controller is in a good mood and the PIC asks nicely :) – Simon Aug 17 '15 at 17:47
@Simon It's not unusual for runways to be normally used for only take-off or only landing (that's pretty common at big, busy airports,) but it is unusual for the other end to not even be numbered. Both of Heathrow's runways are numbered on both sides. – reirab Aug 17 '15 at 18:05
@reirab Yes, I know. I was just adding to the examples of where ops might not be from either end. – Simon Aug 17 '15 at 18:11
@reirab, alas it indeed is not. look at the aerial photograph of it. – Jan Hudec Aug 17 '15 at 19:06
Actually, you've got the wrong image, because it clearly does include the number 36 on the south end of the runway. However an aerial photography (see previous comment) proves that it is indeed not painted on the ground. – Jan Hudec Aug 17 '15 at 19:10
Can anyone explain the math behind why the two digits of opposing runways always add up to the same number? 36/18, 3+6=9, 1+8=9. 06/24, 0+6=6, 2+4=6. With the exception of 01/19 – TomMcW Aug 18 '15 at 05:03
@TomMcW, there is no interesting math behind it as the exceptions 01/19, 10/28 and 11/29 indicate. It is just a coincidence following from the fact that the difference is always 18 and why that is is already explained here. – Jan Hudec Aug 18 '15 at 06:23
Just for the sake of completeness: while 18 is for takeoff only 07L/25R is for landing only (but in both directions). – PerlDuck Jan 29 '17 at 16:34
This explains why numbers would be lacking even for helicopters with no approach concerns... – jwzumwalt Jun 03 '18 at 00:39
It is obvious from the map that there are too many problems with departing this runway as a hypothetical 36. But it's not obvious from this map why you couldn't have approaches and land on it. The only thing I see south of the runway is a nature preserve. Is there perhaps a law against flying over this forest? – Michael Hampton Jan 29 '19 at 04:26
@MichaelHampton: Think about it - where would you end up in the event of a runway overrun? – Vikki Apr 28 '19 at 00:17
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@Sean You're quite right. Sometimes I do need to be smacked in the head with the obvious. – Michael Hampton Apr 28 '19 at 00:19
@MichaelHampton: Not that that always stops airport designers - Milan Linate, for instance, has (or at least had) a baggage-handling building off the departure end of runway 36R. Why this is a bad idea was demonstrated, somewhat spectacularly, in 2001. – Vikki Apr 28 '19 at 00:29
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@Sean Now that you mention it, there's also TAM Flight 3054, which overran the runway, crossed the road at the end of the runway and ended up in a warehouse. – Michael Hampton Apr 28 '19 at 00:41
@Simon I wouldn’t say LHR 09L is similar to FRA 18. LHR 09L is regularly used as 27R and more importantly, is declared (though not always used) as takeoff and landing runway in both directions. FRA 18 is declared as unidirectional takeoff runway only (no landing whatsoever, and no 36 declared). – Cpt Reynolds Apr 28 '19 at 10:00
@aeroalias Regarding The other runways are used for both takeoffs and landings: That's wrong, 07L/25R is used (and IMHO certified) for landings only. And regarding This restriction is due to the fact that it will interfere with the traffic in other runways: That's correct but for FRA there is also not only possibly interfering traffic but also building structures which would be too dangerous in case of runway overruns. The latter is IMHO the actual reason why 36 is not painted because even in emergency situation with all other traffic halted, this would be too dangerous – MRalwasser Aug 10 '23 at 10:56

score 1 · Answer 2 · edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:59

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A mountain can get in the way for example at Lukla airport

The topography of the place makes any go-around impossible. At the south, the runway is the end of an angled drop of about 2000 feet. This cliff is fenced off as a precautionary measure. At the northern end of the runway there is a huge mountain terrain. It leaves no room for error.

^source

Planes land on runway 6 and take off on runway 24.

^{most information copied from this answer}

edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:59

Community

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answered Aug 17 '15 at 16:04

ratchet freak

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This runway is still numbered on both sides, though. – reirab Aug 17 '15 at 18:07
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Not only is the runway numbered on both sides, it is used in both direction—for take-offs in one and landings in the other. – Jan Hudec Aug 17 '15 at 19:07

Are there runways that are numbered only on one side?

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