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Airfield lighting plays a crucial role in guiding pilots during landings, takeoffs, and taxiing, especially in low visibility conditions such as night or adverse weather. Each type of airfield lighting has a specific function, ensuring that aircraft can move safely on the ground and in the air. In this blog, we’ll take a closer look at the main types of airfield lights—runway, taxiway, approach lights, and airfield signs—and understand their unique purposes.

1. Runway Lighting

Runway lighting is an essential component of airfield lighting that identifies the edges and ends of the runway, ensuring that pilots can maintain their path during takeoff and landing. Runway lighting includes:

• Runway Edge Lights: These are white lights positioned along the edges of the runway. During takeoff or landing, they help pilots visually define the boundary of the runway. In the last 600 meters, they may change to yellow to indicate a caution zone.

• Runway Centerline Lights: Installed along the center of the runway, these white lights help guide aircraft along the safest path, especially during landings in low visibility conditions.

• Touchdown Zone Lights (TDZL): Found near the beginning of the runway, these rows of white lights indicate where an aircraft should ideally touch down during landing.

• Runway Threshold Lights: These lights mark the beginning (green) and end (red) of the usable runway surface, providing vital information for approaching or departing aircraft.

2. Taxiway Lighting

After landing, aircraft need a clear and safe path to navigate the taxiways. Taxiway lighting is another critical element of airfield lighting that assists in this process:

• Taxiway Edge Lights: Blue lights that indicate the boundary of taxiways, guiding aircraft as they transition from the runway to the gate or parking area.

• Taxiway Centerline Lights: Green lights that run along the center of the taxiway, helping pilots stay within the intended route, especially during nighttime or low-visibility conditions.

• Stop Bar Lights: Positioned at the entrance to active runways, these red lights serve as a safety measure to prevent aircraft from entering the runway without clearance.

3. Approach Lighting System (ALS)

The Approach Lighting System (ALS) plays a key role in aiding pilots to align their aircraft for a safe landing. Located just before the runway, the ALS is a crucial part of airfield lighting that provides a visual lead-in to the runway threshold:

• Approach Lights: These white lights are typically arranged in a series of bars or rows, extending up to several hundred meters before the start of the runway. They help pilots establish visual contact with the runway in poor visibility conditions, such as fog or heavy rain.

• Sequenced Flashing Lights: Often referred to as the "rabbit," these lights flash in sequence toward the runway to help guide pilots visually and confirm the correct approach path.

4. Airfield Signs

In addition to airfield lighting, airfield signs provide important information to pilots while on the ground:

• Mandatory Instruction Signs: Red signs with white text, such as "RUNWAY AHEAD," indicate areas where pilots must hold short before receiving clearance.

• Information Signs: Yellow signs with black text provide navigational information, such as direction or destination for taxiing.

• Location Signs: Black signs with yellow text indicate the pilot's current position, such as a specific taxiway identifier.

Importance of Airfield Lighting Systems

Airfield lighting systems serve as the eyes of an airport, helping pilots navigate during the most critical phases of flight. The precision and reliability of these airfield lights are vital for ensuring the safety of everyone on board. Modern airfield lighting systems, like LED-based solutions, have further improved visibility, reliability, and energy efficiency, making airports safer and more eco-friendly.

How Airfield Lighting Keeps Flights Safe

The different airfield lighting systems work together to create a safe environment for aircraft. Runway lighting ensures that pilots know where to take off and land, while taxiway lighting guides them safely between runways and gates. The approach lights give crucial guidance during the descent phase, especially in low visibility conditions, while airfield signs provide the information pilots need to stay on track and avoid hazards.

The reliability of these systems cannot be overstated—airports must ensure that lights are well-maintained, fully functional, and meet international standards, such as those set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Conclusion

Understanding the different types of airfield lighting and their functions is key to appreciating how airports maintain safe operations. From the moment an aircraft approaches the runway to when it taxis to the gate, airfield lighting systems guide and protect, allowing for smooth and safe transitions.

Aviasafe is proud to play a part in this vital process by providing high-quality airfield lighting solutions that enhance safety, efficiency, and reliability for airports of all sizes. Whether it's upgrading to energy-efficient LEDs or ensuring compliance with industry standards, we are dedicated to helping airports achieve the highest level of operational safety.