Shift in location of runway leads to name change

www.stanstedairport.com

The 9,750 foot runway at Stansted has been renamed due to a change of position of the North Pole that controls the magnetism of the Earth. The runway had previously been known simply as 23/05 after its compass heading and the North Pole naturally drifts and every half a century its former position will have changed considerably.

The runway will now be known as 22/04 after its new position and all of the signs and numbers in the runway had to been replaced and re-painted, a task that took place overnight to avoid any cancellations or delays on the 5th of July. It has been some years since the Earth last experienced such a significant change and in the future, as the North Pole continues moving south, the Northern Lights will become easier to see in the UK.

The North Pole will carry on drifting until it swaps with the magnetic South Pole but a name change for the runway will not have to be done again for another 56 years. “We’ve had to make this change due to the Magnetic North Pole slowly drifting on the Earth’s surface but our runway remains in a fixed position. It’ll roughly be another 56 years before we have to consider changing it again,” commented Trevor Waldock, head of airside operations.

Thanks to www.bbc.co.uk for the above quotes and to read more on the story please visit the website.

www.stanstedairport.com