This paved or unpaved surface provides the necessary distance for an aircraft to accelerate to takeoff speed or decelerate after landing. It is marked with specific numbers and lines that indicate magnetic heading, thresholds, and touchdown zones. Pilots rely on its length, width, and surface condition to calculate performance margins for safe operations.
Tower, Delta one niner is holding short of runway two-seven right, ready for departure.
Runways are numbered based on their magnetic heading rounded to the nearest ten degrees, so Runway 27 points due west at 270 degrees.
Also heard as
- landing strip
- airstrip
Do not mix it up with
- Tarmac: The tarmac refers generally to paved airport areas or the material itself, while the runway is strictly the designated takeoff and landing surface.
Related terms
Landing strip
A basic, unpaved or temporary runway used for aircraft operations.
Tarmac
The paved surface at an airport where aircraft park, load, and maneuver.
Apron
The paved area at an airport where aircraft are parked, loaded, refueled, or boarded.
Threshold
The designated beginning of the usable landing area on a runway.