Runway Heading

Runway heading is the magnetic direction of the runway centreline, expressed to the nearest degree. It is the heading the aircraft would fly if it were aligned precisely with the runway. Runway numbers are derived from the runway heading rounded to the nearest 10° and divided by 10.

Runway Heading vs. Published Runway Number

Runway 27 has a magnetic heading of approximately 270° — but the actual runway heading may be anywhere from 265° to 274°. The runway number is a rounding convention. When lining up on the runway, verify the heading indicator matches the expected runway heading (not just the runway number), particularly in low-visibility conditions.

Related Terms

See also: Runway, Heading, Active Runway.