Airport runway question
 

Can anyone tell me why airport runways have numbers like 35 Right or 27 Left? given that most airports have either one or two runways how do they get to these large numbers.
Sorry to appear sad but it has always bemused me and i appeal to this font of all knowledge that is SN to clear this up.

Ta

Length?

Is that not the bearing in degrees from North but measured in tenths. So 27 = 270degs i.e. pointing west?

Yep, it appears it is lol!
Here you go!

Left 35 would be 350 degrees left of North.

Right 27 would be 270 degrees right of North

I think ? ......... it is something to do with North

Yes that is all quite correct, the degrees refer to the compass of course. If a runway is labelled left or right, ie 27 left, it would denote the landing circuit direction for that runway.

Les

You'll notice that the numbers change as well from time to time:

https://maps.google.co.uk/?ll=53.576...00927&t=h&z=17

yes its do do with compass positioning and they change from time to time. ours is 06/24

but there are many factors included in deciding the compass bearing chosen, regular wind pattern ect

Not "No parking" then :)