StarNews file photo.
Those large Xs help let inbound pilots know when runways are closed, said Gary Broughton, the Wilmington International Airport’s director of operations.
Broughton said the two Xs, which are illuminated, “indicates some work is being done.”
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Date posted: January 16, 2014
User-contributed question by:
Gary
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If you see a large “X” painted on a runway, it means the runway is permanently closed or abandoned. If you look at an aerial photo of ILM on GoogleEarth, you will see some of the painted “X”s.
From his statements, I’m not sure Broughton would agree that those runways are permanently closed.
They do have portable lighted “Xs” that they can move around. Most pilots can see these Xs used for temporary closures for miles when on approach.
I think there is some confusion in the answers here. These X’s at ILM are NOT painted on the runways. They are trailered signage that are placed at an angle so that pilots can see them on the approach glide slope.
They can be illuminated to be seen at night…think of them as electric signs you would see by the road indicating construction ahead by NCDOT.
Now…a runway with a PAINTED X does mean that the runway is closed and out of service. We’re not talking painted X’s on the runways at ILM, we’re talking temporary signage. Get it, got it, good.
Think of it like this. If the X’s are painted on the runway, the runway is permanently closed. However, at ILM, there are mobile X’s that can be moved and put on any runway. Think of them as the big signs on the side of the road that say things like “Caution Road Work,” etc. They have wheels and trailer hitches for portable use.
Thanks for the clarification on that. There’s a big difference between a trailered sign and a painted one!