Air rune running

Air rune running (also known as Air running) is the interaction between two groups of players - crafters (also known as assisters), who create from between 1x Air runes to 10x Air runes and runners, who bring rune essence to the crafters at the Air altar.

Both parties benefit in different ways. The runecrafters gain fast, free experience, while the runners get their essence turned into Air runes. Air rune running was previously a very profitable venture, however the shop update of 9 September 2009, which removed the price cap on water runes allowing them to increase to above 40 coins each, allowed Water rune running to be more profitable than Air rune running. The nearest bank to the Air altar is the Falador west bank. It is very close and there are not any faster methods in which people will air rune run.

The official Air rune running world is World 16.

What To Bring/Requirements
Completion of the Rune Mysteries quest helps but is Not required, but is recommended for the guild.

Runners
 * Air tiara (or air talisman) - Tiaras and talismans are not needed if you use the Abyss.
 * Rune essence, unnoted. Pure essence can be used, but it is more expensive and it is only profitable if you use rune essence. (It is recommended that you bring at least 25)
 * Pouches - Optional; can only be used when air rune running takes place on a Members world, and increase the amount of essence which can be carried per trip. A Small Pouch holds 3 essence, a Medium Pouch carries 6 essence, a Large Pouch carries 9 essence, and a Giant pouch carries 12 essence.
 * Teleport (Optional). Varrock tabs for members or for non-members you can just run back to varrock bank or use runes for the varrock teleport spell.

Crafters/Assisters
 * Air tiara (or air talisman) - Tiaras and talismans are not needed if you use the Abyss.
 * Skillcape if you have one. It shows that you have 99 Runecrafting and can craft 10 runes per essence.
 * Dress well with good armour and advertise your Runecrafting Level and say 'Open' which means you are ready to assist a runner.

Standard practice
Runners will need rune essence in unnoted form to begin. Rune essence can be mined from the rune essence mine (Rune Mysteries Quest required), or purchased from other players.

Once players have the essence, the final task is to enter the Air altar.

To request assistance from crafters already standing there, players should look for crafters that are standing around saying "open" or "assisting", and they should then proceed right clicking on the crafter and choosing the "req assist" option. After the crafter has accepted the assistance request, the player may then proceed to the air altar to craft air runes, giving experience points to the assister.

It is also possible to train runecrafting in lower levels with a minimal profit. The player should first check how much loss they have(if any) for the amount of essence they turn into runes from the table below. One should then go to the air altar with 25 rune essence and look for a player who says "Open #k and ess", which means that the player is willing to trade 25 rune essence for 25 noted essence and #k coins. If no players are available, the player can look for a player who has a high runecrafting level, preferably 88+, that is willing to assist other players. The player can then check from the table below how much profit they are going to have from this, and then use the other players and craft the runes themselves by changing their way of runecrafting so that they are not losing any money.

The Math

 * The calculations use real-time prices from the Grand Exchange Market Watch. For more information, see Grand Exchange Market Watch/Runecrafting.

This example assumes that the Runner is carrying 25 Rune essence to the Runecrafter. It also assumed that the assister can make 10x Air runes (level 99 Runecrafting required). Also, both the Runner and the Runecrafter have sufficient quest points to "bypass" the trade limit system.


 * Runner: 25 Rune essence at ea = 0 coins
 * Runecrafter: 10 x 25 Air runes at ea = 0 coins


 * Wealth transfer (to runner): 0 coins

The wealth transfer of 0 coins is still within the maximum trade limit of 60,000 coins, and the trade can take place. Players can keep repeating the trades until the maximum limit of 60,000 coins. After that, they have to wait 15 minutes until the limit is reset. Since the runners take 3–5 minutes per run, the trade limit system will not affect the overall performance of Air rune running. However, both the runners and the crafters should have a trade limit of at least 0 coins. For maximum efficiency, both should have the maximum trade limit of 60,000 coins. Or you can ask them to assist you.
 * See Grand Exchange Market Watch/Runecrafting for current prices, or to update outdated prices.

Selling Air Runes
Air runes are always in demand, due to their use in casting many spells. While market price is constantly fluctuating, Air runes currently sell for  coins in the Grand Exchange. The table below shows the profit runecrafters can make in Air Running.

* These columns assume that you mine the rune essence yourself.

Walking/Running (on foot)
This method is the most common. Run to the Air Altar from Varrock West Bank. Craft the runes and run back to the bank.

Due to an update, it is now possible to rest and listen to the musician playing about halfway between the altar and the bank and increase your exp gain/hour.

Tablets
Required: Suggested:
 * 50 runecrafting level is required to gain access to the runecrafting guild.
 * Air talisman,Air tiara,Air talisman staff, or an item that allows access to the air altar. (The tablets only teleport you outside of the altar)
 * Although you will most likely use less than 20% energy per trip, it would be nice to wear some weight reducing gear.
 * A form of teleportation to a location close to a bank.


 * Using the air altar tablet to teleport right outside the altar. These can be purchased from the The Great Orb Project. This is by far the fastest method, though it does require time to gain more tablets from time to time.
 * You can also use any type of pouch and bring an amount of energy restore potions equivalent to the amount of essence the pouch will hold.