PUBLISHER: Aviation & Defense Market Reports (A&D) | PRODUCT CODE: 1383236
PUBLISHER: Aviation & Defense Market Reports (A&D) | PRODUCT CODE: 1383236
Airport lighting is critical to ensuring safe and efficient airport operations, particularly during low visibility conditions such as nighttime, bad weather, or fog. It assists pilots in navigating the airport environment, taxiing safely on runways and taxiways, and providing critical visual references for takeoff and landing.
Runway lighting is critical for providing pilots with visual guidance during takeoff, landing, and taxiing. Runway edge lights, threshold lights, touchdown zone lights, centerline lights, and runway end lights are the primary runway lights. Typically, these lights are white, but some airports may use yellow lights to indicate a displaced threshold or taxiway crossing. Taxiway lighting is installed along taxiways to aid in the navigation of aircraft between runways, ramps, and terminals.
It assists pilots in staying on the designated taxi routes and avoiding potential hazards. Taxiway lights are divided into three types: taxiway edge lights, taxiway centerline lights, and taxiway lead-off lights. Taxiway edge lights are blue to differentiate them from runway lights.
The lighting installed in aircraft parking areas, ramps, and terminal aprons is referred to as apron lighting. These lights aid in the navigation of aircraft during ground movements, particularly in low-light conditions. Apron lighting promotes safe aircraft parking, taxiing, and servicing. Obstacle lighting is used to make tall structures visible to pilots, such as control towers, antenna towers, or buildings. These lights aid in the avoidance of collisions with obstacles during takeoff, landing, and taxiing.
Approach Lighting Systems aid pilots as they approach their destination or target and prepare to land an aircraft. Approach light bars, sequenced flashing lights (flashers), and runway end identifier lights (REILs) are common lighting components of the ALS. These lights provide visual cues to pilots, assisting in runway alignment and descent.
The Visual Approach Slope Indicator (VASI) is a light system that provides pilots with visual descent guidance during the approach phase. It assists pilots in maintaining the correct glide slope for a safe landing. VASI systems are typically made up of two sets of lights: red and white lights in a bar configuration. The lights indicate whether the aircraft is flying too high, too low, or on the proper glide slope.
Another type of approach lighting system, known as a Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI), assists pilots in maintaining an accurate glide path while approaching for landing. It consists of a row of red or white lights that indicate the aircraft's position to the optimal glide path. When the aircraft is too low, the lights turn red; when it is too high, the lights turn white.