![]() ![]() Typically, airfields use bidirectional lights, which emit green lights outward from the runway, indicating the landing threshold for arriving aircraft, and red lights in the opposite direction, marking the end of the runway for departing aircraft. Threshold/runway end lights indicate the end of a runway. In the last 2,000 ft (610 m) of the runway, however, the light becomes steady yellow, indicating the caution zone. Runway edge lights are installed on each side of the runway, forming two straight lines parallel to the runway centerline. Here is a list of airfield lighting equipment with their corresponding FAA color specifications : Current Airfield Lighting Color StandardsĮach airfield lighting equipment emits a distinct color, enabling pilots to identify them during navigation, landing, and takeoff, especially at night. Airfields nowadays use rotating beacons, such as Hali-Brite’s Airport LED Rotating Beacon L-801A(L), along with other visual aids like taxiway and runway lighting. In 1973, the last operational airway beacon was shut down. By 1946, over 2,000 airway beacons were operating in airfields around the country.Īs technology progressed, new navigational aids with more advanced features emerged, replacing traditional beacons. As a result, more beacons were produced and placed along runways. ![]() The law mandates the federal government to develop and maintain navigational aids to improve airfield safety. In 1926, the Air Commerce Act was passed to establish regulations for safe and efficient aircraft operations. Green lights were utilized to indicate an official or emergency field, while red lights are for dangerous or unavailable airfields. One of them was pointing toward the last tower, while the other was pointing to the next field, creating a sort of aerial roadway. Two additional lights were mounted below the rotating beacon. The rotating beacon flashed white lights in a certain sequence, enabling the pilots to recognize their location. Airway beacons were rotating lights placed on top of towers and positioned 15 to 25 miles apart from each other. The bonfire method was replaced by airway beacons in 1923. The bonfire method was then proven by Jack Knight, an airmail pilot, in 1921 when he flew from North Platte to Chicago all night and safely landed in a dark prairie with the help of the lighted bonfires in the area. It served as the first recorded artificial beacon used in airfields. Bruner introduced the use of bonfires as a navigation aid to help pilots locate runways during night flights. In 1919, US Army Air Service Lieutenant Donald L. However, these visual aids were only useful during daytime flights, making night navigation extremely risky. In order to navigate, they relied on road maps and visual landmarks seen outside the cockpit window. History of Airfield Lighting ColorsĮarly aviators had no airfield navigational aids at their disposal. Here, you’ll learn the history of airfield lighting colors and the standard color specifications for each airfield lighting aid specified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Rather, they are used to ensure safety during aircraft operations.Īirfields are equipped with navigation lighting aids, each emitting specific light color to provide pilots with crucial information and help them safely navigate in conditions with low visibility, such as nighttime. These lights, though, are not installed for aesthetic purposes.
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