North pole closes runways in Tampa?

By TED JACKOVICS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 6, 2011

TAMPA - Scientists say the magnetic north pole is moving toward Russia, and the fallout has reached — of all places — Tampa International Airport.

The airport has closed its primary runway until Jan. 13 to repaint the numeric designators at each end and change taxiway signs to account for the shift in location of the Earth's magnetic north.

The closure of the west parallel runway will result in more activity on the east parallel runway and more noise for residents of parts of South Tampa.

The busiest runway will be re-designated 19R/1L on aviation charts.

It's been 18R/36L, indicating its alignment along the 180-degree approach from the north and the 360-degree approach from the south.

Later this month, the airport's east parallel runway and the seldom used east-west runway will be closed to change signs to their new designations.

The Federal Aviation Administration required the runway designation change to account for what a National Geographic News report described as a gradual shift of the Earth's magnetic pole at nearly 40 miles a year toward Russia because of magnetic changes in the planet's core.

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2011/jan/06 ... -in-tampa/