The DFW Airport would like to bring awareness regarding the upcoming full closure of Runway 18L/36R and FAA’s progress on the installation of Runway Status Lights. Runway 18R/36L, DFW’s primary arrival runway, will be closed from Friday, June 9 at 11 PM to Monday, June 12 at 4 PM, weather permitting, to accommodate the FAA’s ongoing installation work.
Immediately following will be the scheduled partial south closure of Runway 18L/36R from Monday, June 12 through Sunday, June 25 for FAA’s ongoing installation of Runway Status Lights (RWSL).
What to Expect:
The weather forecast for the weekend closure are expected to be south at 10 to 15 mph with gusts as high as 20 mph. The weather forecast is not known for the entire partial closure period. In general, because aircraft take off and land into the wind, when winds are southerly aircraft take off to the south and land from north to south. When winds are northerly, aircraft take off to the north (or northwest in the case of the use of Runway 31L) and land from south to north. Keep in mind that surface winds don’t always dictate flow as winds above the surface and/or operational needs can affect the direction for which aircraft take off and land.
The shifts in aircraft operations to other runways during the closure may affect the cities of Coppell, Irving, Grapevine, Flower Mound, Lewisville, Euless, Southlake, and Arlington, which could experience some additional aircraft traffic, including:
Runway 18L/36R is the primary departure runway on the west side. During its closure:
Keep in mind that surface winds don’t always dictate flow as winds above the surface and/or operational needs can affect the direction for which aircraft take off and land.
The graphics below depict these closures and their effects on runway utilization:
June 12 – June 25 [Partial South Closure of Runway 18L/36R]
Runway Status Lights:
Runway Status Lights (RWSL) is a fully automatic, advisory safety system designed to reduce the number and severity of runway incursions and prevent runway accidents while not interfering with airport operations. It is an in-pavement lighting system that works similar to a traffic light which provides a visual signal to pilots and vehicle operators of when it is unsafe to enter/cross or begin takeoff on runway. The system aims to improve air crew and vehicle operator situational awareness through accurate and timely indication of runway usage. For further information, please see the link to the FAA’s website.
The DFW Airport encourages citizens with inquiries or complaints to contact them. You may contact them by email at dfwnoise@dfwairport.com, or on the Noise Complaint Hotline, at 972-973-3192 (manned 24/7). Follow-up response calls or emails will be provided by DFW, when requested.