View From 30,000 Feet
December 11, 2017 7:38 AM Subscribe
View From 30,000 Feet. Airport runways, reinterpreted as minimalist art, drawn to scale. [via mefi projects]
O'Hare was the one where I went "Oh geez, what is that mess? Oh, it's O'Hare, that makes sense."
posted by that girl at 9:46 AM on December 11, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by that girl at 9:46 AM on December 11, 2017 [2 favorites]
I see you DIA, you silly pinwheel.
posted by Stonestock Relentless at 10:12 AM on December 11, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by Stonestock Relentless at 10:12 AM on December 11, 2017 [3 favorites]
Interesting to see how very different the runway configurations are -- I would have guessed that there was more standardization.
posted by crazy with stars at 10:23 AM on December 11, 2017
posted by crazy with stars at 10:23 AM on December 11, 2017
Logan looks about as sensible to drive on as anything else in Boston.
posted by ChuraChura at 10:54 AM on December 11, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by ChuraChura at 10:54 AM on December 11, 2017 [2 favorites]
Fabulous. Reminds me of the NOMO Runway Series.
posted by mykescipark at 11:22 AM on December 11, 2017
posted by mykescipark at 11:22 AM on December 11, 2017
Interesting to see how very different the runway configurations are -- I would have guessed that there was more standardization.
Runway layouts, by necessity, are very sensitive to local conditions. Lengths and widths are semi-standard in the sense that they determine what aircraft can make use of the airport, but otherwise the layouts are based on prevailing wind conditions and the shape of the approach corridor -- which in itself is heavily dependent on the terrain around the airport, i.e. what navigational hazards exist at the altitude the aircraft needs to be at for a given part of the approach.
posted by tobascodagama at 11:39 AM on December 11, 2017 [1 favorite]
Runway layouts, by necessity, are very sensitive to local conditions. Lengths and widths are semi-standard in the sense that they determine what aircraft can make use of the airport, but otherwise the layouts are based on prevailing wind conditions and the shape of the approach corridor -- which in itself is heavily dependent on the terrain around the airport, i.e. what navigational hazards exist at the altitude the aircraft needs to be at for a given part of the approach.
posted by tobascodagama at 11:39 AM on December 11, 2017 [1 favorite]
In addition layouts are effected by land use on the ground and not just the approach corridor. I.e. what land is available for use once the approach corridor and wind conditions are surveyed.
Many a runway has been dropped from the plans because there was so much opposition to putting it down because it would force people out of their homes, close farm land, etc.
posted by jmauro at 11:42 AM on December 11, 2017 [1 favorite]
Many a runway has been dropped from the plans because there was so much opposition to putting it down because it would force people out of their homes, close farm land, etc.
posted by jmauro at 11:42 AM on December 11, 2017 [1 favorite]
Looks like Pick-Up-Sticks.
posted by KleenexMakesaVeryGoodHat at 12:54 PM on December 11, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by KleenexMakesaVeryGoodHat at 12:54 PM on December 11, 2017 [1 favorite]
I understand local political and weather conditions are going to play a large role, but I suppose I'm surprised by how many differences there are: sometimes there are two parallel runways close to one another, sometimes the runways cross one another, lengths of runways are pretty different from one another, etc.
Even the airports that are custom built to be huge airports on wide open land look nothing like one another: Denver, Dallas, and Atlanta are all pretty different.
posted by crazy with stars at 12:58 PM on December 11, 2017
Even the airports that are custom built to be huge airports on wide open land look nothing like one another: Denver, Dallas, and Atlanta are all pretty different.
posted by crazy with stars at 12:58 PM on December 11, 2017
I was able to recognize Haneda, just because there's been a lot of news coverage recently of proposed changes to flight paths.
posted by oheso at 1:40 PM on December 11, 2017
posted by oheso at 1:40 PM on December 11, 2017
I understand local political and weather conditions are going to play a large role, but I suppose I'm surprised by how many differences there are: sometimes there are two parallel runways close to one another, sometimes the runways cross one another, lengths of runways are pretty different from one another, etc.
Well there's three big factors at play. The first is the wind. You need runways to be facing directions that limit cross winds as much as possible.
The second is that the FAA mandates that all airports serve everyone on a first come first serve basis. So for instance if you have a little Gulfstream with a 5,400 ft takeoff field length you can put them on a shorter runway while saving the long one for the A380 or 787 taking off.
The third is that runways follow traffic patterns. Taking off requires more space than landing. So you for instance JFK where you have two parallel runways for two different directions you have all planes landing on the shorter runway while having planes take off on the longer runway. So your planes depart westward all on the long runway and your planes arriving from Europe in the morning land on the short one. Ditto LAX which has two pairs of runways on basically the same direction.
When you have all incoming flights landing or departing on the same runway it just becomes a matter of maintaining proper spacing and bringing them or sending them out one after another. It's easy, safe, and efficient. Having dual sets of even differing length runways makes this possible at big airports.
posted by Talez at 1:50 PM on December 11, 2017 [1 favorite]
Well there's three big factors at play. The first is the wind. You need runways to be facing directions that limit cross winds as much as possible.
The second is that the FAA mandates that all airports serve everyone on a first come first serve basis. So for instance if you have a little Gulfstream with a 5,400 ft takeoff field length you can put them on a shorter runway while saving the long one for the A380 or 787 taking off.
The third is that runways follow traffic patterns. Taking off requires more space than landing. So you for instance JFK where you have two parallel runways for two different directions you have all planes landing on the shorter runway while having planes take off on the longer runway. So your planes depart westward all on the long runway and your planes arriving from Europe in the morning land on the short one. Ditto LAX which has two pairs of runways on basically the same direction.
When you have all incoming flights landing or departing on the same runway it just becomes a matter of maintaining proper spacing and bringing them or sending them out one after another. It's easy, safe, and efficient. Having dual sets of even differing length runways makes this possible at big airports.
posted by Talez at 1:50 PM on December 11, 2017 [1 favorite]
The second is that the FAA mandates that all airports serve everyone on a first come first serve basis.
Airport neutrality!
posted by tobascodagama at 2:16 PM on December 11, 2017 [5 favorites]
Airport neutrality!
posted by tobascodagama at 2:16 PM on December 11, 2017 [5 favorites]
As long as we're talking about winds and airport design allow me to plug my own Metafilter project from a few years back, plotting the history of winds around North America. See for example Santa Fe, whose unusual three runways reflect three separate common wind directions.
posted by Nelson at 3:54 PM on December 11, 2017 [5 favorites]
posted by Nelson at 3:54 PM on December 11, 2017 [5 favorites]
After 45 years of making connections there, I picked ATL out right away!
posted by TedW at 3:38 AM on December 12, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by TedW at 3:38 AM on December 12, 2017 [1 favorite]
I requested Denver, and I'm stoked to see it. I was genuinely curious if it would fit, as taxiing often feels like the plane is driving over to Kansas.
posted by a complicated history at 8:30 AM on December 12, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by a complicated history at 8:30 AM on December 12, 2017 [4 favorites]
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(I am proud of myself for getting O'Hare on my first guess.)
posted by Fig at 8:26 AM on December 11, 2017