It is located 1,000 feet prior to the approach end of the runway and serves as a visual reference point for the pilot to make a final call on whether to continue the approach to landing or to execute a go around if something is not quite right. This row of closely spaced white lights is positioned perpendicular to the runway. Regardless of configuration, a common feature of approach lighting is the decision bar. Many larger international airports utilize a system with a more complex structure and yellow and red lights in addition to the standard white. This type of lighting is common at regional airports.
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The most basic approach lighting systems feature a series of seventeen white lights in a cross formation. Non-precision instrument runways have lighting beginning 1,400 to 1,500 feet into the approach area.Īpproach lighting comes in many different lighting configurations including: The lighting extends 2,400 to 3000 feet into the approach area for a precision, instrument runway. Its purpose is to indicate the direction of the runway and allow pilots to visualize that direction from greater distances. Unlike other runway lighting which is situated either on or adjacent to the runway, the approach lighting system is a set of lights that is positioned on the approach area of a runway and stops at the threshold. Runway centerline lights are spaced fifty feet apart and are required for all CAT II and CAT III runways as well as for some CAT I runways. The final 1,000 feet of runway is indicated by all red centerline lighting. The lights are white near the approach end of the runway and transition to alternating white and red lights at 3,000 feet from the end of the runway. The row of lights extending down the center of the runway is called the runway centerline lighting. These flashing green lights face the approach end of the runway to help pilots identify where to land and to validate that they are not landing short of the runway. Runway End Identifier LightingĪs you make your approach to landing, you will see a single runway end identifier light (REIL) on either side of the end of the runway. They must either takeoff or stop by the time they reach the red runway end lights. This informs pilots that they are approaching the departure end of the runway and the entire runway is now behind them. From the opposite side, the lights appear red.
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This lets pilots know that they are at the end of the runway, with the full length of the runway stretching out in front of them. When viewed from the approach side of the runway, the lights appear green. The row of lights that make up runway end lighting extends all the way across the width of the runway at either end. The ends of runways are marked with runway end lighting or runway threshold identification lights (RTIL).
This serves as an additional visual indicator that the pilot is nearing the end of the runway. On runways with ILS capability, the runway edge lights will be yellow rather than white for the last 2,000 feet of the runway or half the runway length for runways shorter than 4,000 feet in length. At those intersections up to a 400-foot gap in edge lighting is authorized. The exception to that rule is at intersections between the runway and a taxiway or another runway.
The FAA allows there to be no more than 200 feet in between each individual runway edge light in a high-intensity runway lights (HIRLs) system or medium intensity runway lights system (MIRLs). Runway edge lighting can be classified as either high, medium, or low intensity, with high and medium-intensity lighting being adjustable and having the capability to vary in intensity. At their most basic, runway edge lights are a series of white lights positioned in a row on either side of the runway. It is important for pilots to have a visual guide to the width of the runway when landing and taking off at night.
Knowing their configuration, spacing, color, and purpose has the power to bring clarity to the confusion and to train our eyes to pick out and understand what we are seeing as we make that approach to landing. While we may not be able to take away all the butterflies that come with tackling that first night landing, it pays to dedicate some time prior to the flight for reviewing all the airport runway lights you can expect to see. Understanding Airport Runway Lighting for New Pilotsįor new pilots making their first nighttime approach to landing, when the runway comes into sight, it can easily appear as a complex and confusing sea of lights and colors.
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