NOTE: The puzzle works best on a laptop/desktop computer due to formatting issues when using a smartphone.
The cache is not at the above posted coordinates. This is an active runway at Santa Monica Airport and encroaching onto the movement area of the airport will definitely get you into some trouble with local and federal authorities. Click on the airport names to be linked to Google Maps to solve the puzzle.
Santa Monica Airport is the longest continuously operated airport in Los Angeles County. Dedicated in 1923 as "Clover Field", named after World War I pilot Lt. Greayer “Grubby” Clover, the airport was renamed Santa Monica Airport in 1927. Santa Monica Airport has a long and important history in the aviation industry. In the 1940s Bill Lear (from LearJet) opened a manufacturing plant at the Santa Monica Airport. Additionally, Donald Douglas, a pioneer in manufacturing airplanes, opened a Douglas Aircraft Company factory on the north side of the airport. Douglas made some of the most iconic airplanes in aviation history right here at Santa Monica Airport. The list includes the DC-4 and, my favorite of all time, the DC-3. The DC-3 was the first airplane to make flying passengers a profitable venture. Prior to this aircraft, airlines made most, if not all, of their money flying mail; flying passengers was just a novelty if they had some extra space. You can see a DC-3 at the Santa Monica Aviation Museum on Airport Ave.
Zurich International Airport
A runway is actually two runways. Airplanes can land and depart from either end of that strip of concrete (or asphalt, gravel, dirt, grass, snow etc). Runways are "named" with either a one or two digit number and sometimes an L, R or C in addition to the number(s). The number painted on the runway is the compass heading the aircraft is facing, corrected to the nearest 10 and then divided by ten. Example, an aircraft may sit on a runway, there compass may indicate they are heading 252 degrees. Round that to the nearest 10 (250) and then divide by 10. The aircraft would be sitting on Runway 25. At airports such as LAX there are multiple runways that are facing the same direction. So, to distinguish between them they are labeled L, R or C for Left, Right, or Center. That is why you may see Runway 25L or 25R (pronounced runway two five left/right). If the aircraft were to taxi all the way down that runway and turn around to depart in the opposite direction, it would be a 180 degree difference in heading. In this instance it would be 07L or 07R. Sometimes you may see signs on the airport that say "07L/25R" or "07R/25L". This is how a pilot knows that (a) they are approaching a runway and (b) what runway they are approaching.
Seychelles International Airport
Some runways are shorter when landing than they are when taking off. Here, at Seychelles Airport, you will see small arrows pointing toward the runway designator numbers. You'll see six white lines, three on either side of the runway designator. That is called a "displaced threshold". An aircraft that is landing cannot touch their wheels on the ground prior to that threshold. It is a safety measure that is used because there is something on the final approach leg (building, tree, power lines etc) that could be hit if the pilot aims to land prior to the displaced threshold. By aiming farther down the runway the aircraft stays higher for longer. On the other hand, the entire length of the runway, including the area prior to the displaced threshold, is available for aircraft taking off of that runway.
Wakkanai Airport
Wakkanai Airport is in Japan. You may notice this runway looks different than some of the other ones you will visit on this virtual tour. But what is it that is different? Primarily, it is the color of the paint used to make the markings on the runway and taxiway. As a matter of fact, they are exactly opposite of what you may be expecting from all U.S. airports and many overseas airports as well. Wakkanai Airport uses yellow paint on the runway and white paint on the taxiway. In the U.S. runway markings are painted in white, while the taxiway marking are yellow in accordance with Advisory Circulars AC 150/5340-1K and AC 150/5370-10. The difference in color appears to be the only major aspect that has been reversed. All of the markings you see on this runway are standard with U.S. airports as well.
Washington National Airport
Once you collect the data from this Google Map for the puzzle, zoom out and take a look at the rest of the airport. There are a total of 6 runways (looks like 3 but if you use both ends there are 6) pointing in 6 different directions. What is going on with that? As a rule of thumb when airplanes take off and land, it is preferred to do so INTO the wind. To spare you from a physics lesson just know that, when landing it is easier to overcome the force of the wind pushing back on the plane by adding power than it is to try to slow the airplane when it is being pushed from behind. And let’s face it; the whole idea with landing is coming to a safe STOP on the runway. When taking off, the "LIFT" (magical force allowing several tons of metal and people to fly) is all relative to how fast air is flowing over the wings and not necessarily how fast the airplane is actually moving over the ground. The multiple runways give the airplanes more options when deciding what runway to use based on where the wind is coming from.
South Bend Regional Airport
South Bend Regional Airport is an airport I actually worked at for a summer, while attending college in the great state of Purdue...I mean Indiana. It was a very fun experience...I learned a lot about cutting grass and weed whacking. What does any of this have to do with the cache? Nothing. You may notice something is off with this picture. Refer to what was discussed from the Washington National Airport section to find the correct data. Given this picture is oriented with north by at the top, west to the left etc select the correct data assuming the wind is COMING from the south.
Hilo International Airport
Hilo INTERNATIONAL? It looks so small; how can that be an international airport? The designation of an "INTERNATIONAL" airport simply deals with the fact that it has the facilities required for Customs and Immigration duties. Typically, there is a larger runway to accommodate the larger aircraft that come from overseas as well. For Hilo International Airport, however, even domestic flights come from overseas. This is not always the case though. Hilo International Airport allows pilots on vacation to come and rent a small aircraft (2-4 seats) to fly around the island. A point of interest for these adventure seekers, just 20-30 miles south, is the constant eruptions of the Hawaiian Volcanoes National Park.
Denver International Airport
Wow, what a large airport. If you zoom out after collecting your data, you will see just how much ground the airport covers. Built in 1995, it was too big to put in the city or county of Denver. In an unprecedented show of regional cooperation, the mayors of Denver County and neighboring Aurora County came together to make this airport happen. Denver County was allowed to annex 53 square miles from Aurora County (16 miles northeast of downtown Denver) for them to build the airport upon. When being master planned, airport authorities envisioned Denver as being a MAJOR airport for the U.S. The full build out for the airport included 12 total landing strips (24 runways if using both directions) 8 in north/south configuration and 4 in east/west configuration. Additionally, Denver has one of the longest commercial runways in the world at over 16,000 feet.
Santa Monica Airport
Back to Santa Monica. Greater than 90% of the time airplanes arrive and depart flying toward the ocean here at Santa Monica. Santa Monica has a large amount of training airplanes. A part of their pilot training is what we call "flying the pattern". “Flying the pattern” practices departing and landing at the same airport in an efficient manner as it normally takes 7-10 minutes to go around once. The pattern truly consists of 5 legs: the departure leg, crosswind leg, downwind leg, base leg and final leg. When drawn on a piece of paper "the pattern" looks like a rectangle with the runway being a part of one of the long sides. Hours and hours of pilot training are dedicated to being very familiar with what each of these legs are AND learning how to actually fly the airplane in each of those segments as they require different skills. To get some more first person experience of how Santa Monica Airport works make a visit to the observation deck. Listen to all the chatter on the loud speaker. Look across the way at the tall building and wave...maybe I'll see ya!!
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