Three-Day Project Cost $20,000

The Earth's shifting magnetic core has necessitated the re-numbering of the runways at Jacksonville International Airport in Florida. The main runway at KJAX is now designated 08-26, while a the secondary runway has been re-numbered 14-32.

Earth's magnetic north pole is a moving target, whereas the geographic north pole is a fixed location. But since compasses point to the magnetic north pole, runway numbers shift ever so often.

Tampa International Airport changed its runway numbers almost a year ago, and NAS Jacksonville re-numbered its runways in 2010, according to a report in the Florida Times-Union.

Geologists say that the magnetic pole shifts about 1 degree every 10 years or so as the Earth's crust floats on a molten layer around the solid core ... but some regions are affected more than others. The re-numbering usually comes when the variation is five or more degrees from the previous designation. The current shift is to the west towards Russia, according to University of North Florida geologist Joe Meert. JAA said the cost of the project was about $20,000

FMI: www.faa.gov