One-Way Airway

In the context of aviation, a One-Way Airway refers to a designated route or airway that is intended for use in a single direction, often indicated by an arrow on flight charts, and is used to improve air traffic flow and safety.

Purpose

One-way airways are established to help air traffic controllers and pilots manage traffic efficiently, especially in busy airspace, by ensuring that aircraft travel in a specific direction along a route.

Designation

These airways are depicted on flight charts (like IFR High and Low charts) with an arrow symbol indicating the preferred direction of travel.

Types

In the US, these airways are often designated as High Single Direction (HSD) routes or Low Single Direction (LSD) routes.

Example

The FAA website explains that some airways are designated as one-way, with an arrow indicating the direction of travel. For example, airways heading in and out of Northern Ireland, where P60 is for flying north only and P620 is for flying south.

Benefits

One-way airways help to reduce the risk of mid-air collisions by keeping aircraft on the same path, and can also improve the efficiency of air traffic control.