Probably, everyone who was at the airport thought about what the markings on the airfield lanes could mean. Many people think that these are just serial numbers, but the number of tracks and numbers do not match. So why do we need these mysterious numbers?
In general, all numbers on the runways are two-digit and they vary from 01 to 36. Moreover, at different ends of such runways, there are completely different numbers.
All these signs are needed for pilots. These numbers are drawn so that the pilot can easily navigate in the event of instrument failure.
First, they go on the runway strips, similar to the “zebra”. But they are not for pedestrians at all. They are needed so that pilots quickly understand what the width of the runway is: four dashes are 18 m, eight are 30 m, etc.
Next comes a large number and often a Latin letter. And at the very end, there is a kind of rebus at all, which is understandable only to pilots. What does it all mean?
In general, numbers are drawn on the runway in white, and their size is 3×9 m. They indicate the angle at which the runway is located relative to the Earth’s magnetic poles. Moreover, the number itself is a value in degrees. That is, pilots during the flight can navigate by these signs, as if by a compass.
The number 01 will mean that the strip is located at an angle of 10 degrees, and the number 36 – is at an angle of 360 degrees. The letters indicate the presence of parallel lines: R – right, C – central.