Newark Liberty International Airport - Facilities

Facilities

Newark Liberty International Airport covers 2,027 acres (820 ha) and has three runways and one helipad:

• Runway 4L/22R: 11,000 x 150 ft (3,353 x 46 m), Surface: Asphalt/Concrete
• Runway 4R/22L: 10,000 x 150 ft (3,048 x 46 m), Surface: Asphalt
• Runway 11/29: 6,800 x 150 ft (2,073 x 46 m), Surface: Asphalt
• Helipad H1: 40 x 40 ft (12 x 12 m), Surface: Concrete

Runway 11/29 is part of the original paved runway system developed in the 1940s. In 1952, original Runways 1/19 and 6/24 were closed in response to concerns about obstructions and noise, and a modern Runway 4/22 (now 4R/22L) was commissioned at a length of 7,000 ft (2,100 m) This runway was later extended to 9,800 feet (3,000 m), shortened for a while to 9,300 ft (2,800 m) and finally brought to its present length by 2000. Runway 4L/22R opened in 1970 at a length of 8,200 ft (2,500 m) and was extended to its current dimensions by 2000.

All approaches except Runway 29 are equipped with Instrument Landing Systems, and Runway 4R is certified for Category III ILS approaches.

Most departing traffic use Runway 4L/22R while most arriving traffic use 4R/22L, and 11/29 is used more often by smaller aircraft or when there are strong crosswinds on the two main runways. Newark's two parallel runways (4L and 4R) have a lateral separation of only 900 feet (270 m), which is the fourth smallest of major airports in the U.S., after SFO, LAX and SEA. (Calculated from the lat-lons at the parallel runways are 950 ft (290 m) apart.)