h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

It may be that I'm havinbg a bad day and not think straight, but I'm confused about something. The table of runway names/numbers lists South/West end of runways as 19 to 36 making 27 the southwest end of a runway and 9 the northeast end of that same runway. In the text above the table there's an example using runway 9/27 (running east west) saying that landing on this runway heading east, would give it the name runway 9. But if you're heading east wouldn't you be landing at the southwest end and therefore make this runway 27 as described in the table? It's a small thing, but it's been nagging at me since I read the article - which was very informative.

I hope it's not too late to answer your question (you did write it over a year ago).

The Number at the end of the runway which the pilot is approaching refers to the heading s/he must fly to land on it.

So a pilot landing on runway 09 would be landing on the west end of the runway flying an easterly (90 degree) heading.