Runway Lighting

Requirement
All runways licensed for night use must have lighting which at least defines the extent
of the runway. This is referred to as Edge Lighting, Threshold Lighting and Runway
End Lighting. Other types of lighting may also be provided.
ICAO guidance requires that runway lighting shall not be operated if a runway is not
in use for landing, take-off or taxiing purposes, unless such operation is required for
runway inspection or maintenance purposes. ATC are required to use whatever means
are available to them to ensure that they are aware of any lighting system
unserviceability so that appropriate notification action can be taken.
Minimum Runway Lighting
Runway Edge Lights are omni-directional and are located along or just
beyond the edges of the area declared for use as the runway as defined by edge
markings and are white subject to certain specific exceptions.
The area defined may not necessarily be the maximum width of the paved
runway surface.
The lights may be either elevated or embedded in the surface. If a landing
threshold is displaced, but the pre-landing threshold area is available for take
off, then the edge lights between the beginning of the runway surface and the
displaced threshold will be split so as to show red up to the landing threshold
whilst still showing white after that point.
If a runway starter extension is provided which is narrower than its
associated runway, then blue edge lighting may be used to mark its edges.
Runway Threshold Lights are provided in a line along the landing threshold at the
touchdown end of a runway and define the beginning of the declared Landing
Distances. They are green and can only be seen from the approach.
Runway End Lights are provided in a line along the end of the runway available for
use. They are red and can only be seen in the direction of runway use.
Supplementary Runway Lighting
Various other forms of runway lighting may also be provided, especially if the runway
is used for aircraft movements in less than ILS Cat 1conditions, which require both
Low Visibility Procedures and, in most cases, specific forms of additional lighting.

Runway Exit taxiways may be indicated by substitution of one or two of the

white runway edge lights with blue ones.
Stopway Lighting may be used to show the extent of a stopway beyond the
designated end of a runway. Red unidirectional edge lights visible only in the
direction of runway use are provided at intervals until a further transverse line
which marks` the end of the stopway.
Runway Centreline Lighting may be provided in which case it will extend
for the full length of the runway, It will be white except in the event that
colour coding is provided in order to indicate the approaching end of the

runway. Such colour coded centreline lighting consists of alternating red and
white lights beginning at 900 metres from the runway end and these change to
continuous red lights for the last 300 metres of the runway.
Touchdown Zone (TDZ) Lighting must be provided on runways available for
use in low visibility conditions so as to provide enhanced identification of the
touchdown area. The method of provision is specified in ICAO Annex14
Volume 1-Aerodrome Design and Operations and the lighting must extend
from the landing threshold for either 900 metres or to the midpoint of the
runway, whichever is the least.
Rapid Exit Taxiway Indicator Lights (RETILs) may be provided to indicate
the distance to go to the nearest rapid exit taxiway. In low visibility conditions,
RETILs provide useful situational awareness cues to assist in appropriate rates
of deceleration and to allow flight crew to concentrate on keeping the aircraft
on the runway centre line during the landing roll. They usually consist of six
yellow lights adjacent to the runway centreline, configured as a three - two one sequence spaced 100 metres apart with the single light positioned at 100
metres from the start of the turn for the rapid exit taxiway.
Caution Zone Lighting may be provided on ILS-equipped runways which do
not have centreline lighting. It is provided by replacing the usual white edge
lights with yellow` ones for the lesser of the last 600 metres or last one third of
the lighted runway length available to provide a visual warning the
approaching runway end.
Landing Threshold Wing Bars, which are green but may take various detail
forms, are sometimes provided if it is considered that the threshold needs
accentuating.

Taxiways
A taxiway is a path for aircraft at an airport connecting runways with aprons, hangars,
terminals and other facilities. They mostly have a hard surface such as asphalt or
concrete, although smaller general aviation airports sometimes use gravel or grass.
The major function of taxiways is to provide access for aircraft to travel to and from
the runways to other areas of the airport in an expeditious manner. Taxiways are
identified as parallel taxiways, entrance taxiways, bypass taxiways, or exit taxiways.
A parallel taxiway is aligned parallel to an adjacent runway, whereas exit and
entrance taxiways are typically oriented perpendicular to the runway, connecting the
parallel taxiway with the runway.
Entrance taxiways are located near the departure ends of runways; exit taxiways are
located at various points along the runway to allow landing aircraft to efficiently exit
the runway after landing.
Bypass taxiways are located at areas of congestion at busy airports. They allow
aircraft to bypass other aircraft parked on the parallel or entrance taxiways in order to
reach the runway for takeoff.
Parallel taxiways are typically identified by alphabetic designators. The specific
letter used to designate a given taxiway is arbitrary, although some airports use

specific letters to identify their field. For example, a taxiway on the north side of an
airfield might be designated taxiway N, and the taxiway on the south side of the field
would be designated taxiway S. Other airports simply designate parallel taxiways in
alphabetical order from one end of the airfield to the other.
Entrance, exit, and bypass taxiways are typically designated by the associated parallel
taxiway, along with a number identifying the specific taxiway. For example, a series
of entrance, exit, and bypass taxiways associated with parallel taxiway N may be
numbered consecutively in series as N1, N2, N3, and so on.
Airport Apron (NPTEL video)
The airport apron is the area of an airport where aircraft are parked, unloaded or
loaded, refueled, or boarded.
The holding aprons are generally the places which are adjacent to the ends of runways
where the aircraft park briefly before taking off.
Aircraft are held due to :
Runway being busy for takeoff or landing of other aircraft,

Airport Lighting
Factors which affect the type and intensity of the airport lighting
1. Airport classification - whether the airport is a smaller airport or a bigger
airport
2. Total amount of traffic
3. Nature of aircraft which will use the airport
4. Type of night operations being planned : whether under visual conditions or
under the instrument conditions
5. Weather conditions.
Elements of airport lighting
1. airport beacons : beacon is a strong beam of light which is situated above the
horizontal and is rotated to produce flashing light to an observer. So, this
rotating flashing light informs that the location of the airport and a pilot from
quite a big distance can understand and can start orienting the aircraft. The
rotating airport beacon gives out white and green flashes in the horizontal
directions, 180 degrees apart. These are two colour lights which are at an angle
of 180 degrees. It indicates the approximate location of an airport which is
equipped for night operations.
It rotates at 6 revolutions per minute. The term code beacon is used to indicate
the light which is provided sufficiently high to clear all the obstructions. It
consists of two 500W bulbs with green screens and it flashes a Morse code
signal designating the type of the airport. The way the flashing is being done,
is based on the Morse code and this informs the classification of the airport.
2. approach lighting - for the aircrafts landing on the airport

3. apron and hanger lighting - for the aircrafts which are standing near the
terminal buildings or in the hangers
4. boundary lighting
5. lighting of landing direction indicators
6. lighting of the wind direction indicators
7. runway lighting
8. taxiway lighting
9. threshold lighting
10.