So THAT'S What The Numbers On Airport Runways Mean

You'll never look at one the same way again.

There’s a fascinating explanation for those giant numbers and letters you see on the ends of airport runways: They provide some very handy direction for pilots, as explained in the video above from Business Insider.

The numbers are always between 1 and 36, and the difference between the numbers on either end of the same runway is almost always 18. Sometimes, they’re followed by a letter with a meaning all its own, and sometimes, they change based on the earth’s magnetic north.

Watch above for the riveting rundown.

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