AIRPORT MARKING AND LIGHTING

By Teja Tallam

Visual Aids Land marks which are required so as to

provide an aid to the pilots Ensures the smooth operating of the air craft

Required both in good weather and bad weather as well as during day and night

The runways of the conventional aircraft appears as long and narrow strip with straight sides and free of obstacle Marked in such a way they can be easily

distinguishable from other areas

Visual Aids The perspective view of the runways along

with the landmarks like horizon, runway edges, runway threshold and centreline of the runway are the most important elements for pilot to see. Centre line for aligning aircraft, horizon for

flying, maintaining specific height from different elements like approach zone and similarly other things are needed to be identified

Hence, to enhance visual information land marks are painted in standard formats using colour or by using lights

Visual Aids – Importance and Uses Avoids accidents during landing of aircraft Convey pilot the ground to air information Direct the during landing

Touch down points, lift off points etc are conveyed

Enable the pilot to locate and identify a particular feature

Grant safety to personnel and properties Maintain an orderly flow of aircrafts Helps during the takeoff and taxiing

Visual Aids These are available in different forms of

markings in the airport and airfield Airport markings Airport lighting Signage

Above are the 3 ways by which we can get the visual aids

Above mentioned 3 are different components that are provided at airports and have operations

Airport Markings Airport markings can be divided into

following groups Apron marking Landing direction indicator Wind direction indicator Runway marking Shoulder marking Taxiway marking

Apron Marking Certain guidelines are marked on the

apron to help the pilots in maneuvering the most critical aircrafts.

Generally they are related to the path to be traversed during parking in or out operation near terminal location or nose etc.

Yellow colour is used at such locations It should be fuel resistant as aprons are

likely to be subjected to fuel spillage.

Landing Direction Indicator To indicate the landing direction an arrow

or a Tee is placed at the center of a segmented circle Helps in identifying the runway strip and

the direction from which they can land Shape is arrow, or Tee or circle with cutoff

lines It is painted in orange or white colour It is lighted for viewing during night time It is fixed at a distant place

Segmented circle

Wind Direction Indicator The direction from which the wind blows is

indicated by a wind cone It is placed in a segmented circle together with

the landing direction indicator It should be placed away from buildings so that

it is not effected by eddies Length of wind direction indicator should not be

less than 3.6m and its diameter at the larger end should not be less than 90cm

It should be visible from a height of 30m It is painted with bands of colours like white and

black, red and white, orange and white etc.

Runway Markings These are provided with different

purposes like Runway center line marking Touch down or landing zone marking Threshold marking

Defines specific height by which aircraft should cross it

Runway edge stripe Runway numbering Two or more parallel runways

Runway Marking Runway Centerline marking

It is represented by a broken strip running along the entire length of runway

Length of strip plus gap shall not be less than 50m and more than 75m

The width of strip shall not be less than 90cm

Runway markings

Runway MarkingsRunway Touch down markings It is provided in the touch down zone

and consists of pair of rectangular markings placed symmetrically about the runway center line

These are 1.80m wide stripes spaced at 1.50m clear distance and are of 22.5m in length.

Runway Markings Runway Threshold Markings

Runway threshold markings consists of a pattern of longitudinal stripes of uniform dimensions placed symmetrically about the centerline of a runway

They extend laterally within 3m of the edge of the runway

They are 1.80m/3.60m wide with a spacing of 1.80/0.90m between them and are 45m long.

Usually provided to clear the obstructions in the flight path

Runway Marking Runway Edge Stripe

Runway edge strip consists of 2 stripes on along each edge of runway

If width of runway is greater than 60m, the stripe should be located 30m away from the runway centerline

The thickness of stripes is normally 90cm

Runway numbering The end of runway is marked with a

number that indicates magnetic azimuth Angle measured in clockwise direction from

north East end of East-West runway will be

marked 27 (for 270 degree) and the west end is marked 9 for 90 degree

Magnetic azimuth is marked to nearest 10 degree

Two or more parallel runways If there are more than one runway in same

direction following numbers are added to the azimuth numbers 2 parallel runways – L, R 3 parallel runways – L, C, R 4 parallel runways – L, R, L, R 5 parallel runways – L, C, R, L, R

Shoulder Marking Markings are in the form of yellow

stripes , 90cm wide and 30m apart (15m at turnings)

The markings extend up to a maximum 1.5m from the outer edge of shoulders

Runway shoulders are marked with diagonal lines (45 degrees angle), whereas taxiways and holding apron shoulders are marked with stripes perpendicular to the direction of aircraft.

Taxiway Marking Center line of taxiway consists of 15cm

wide continuous stripe of yellow colour At intersection with runway end, the

centerline of the taxiway is terminated at the edge of the runway

At all other intersections with the runway, the centerline of the taxiway extends up to the centerline of runway

Airport MarkingsClosed runways or taxiways For temporarily closed runways or

taxiways, yellow crosses are placed at the two ends that defines it is temporarily closed.

If the runway is closed permanently yellow crosses are placed at both ends and also at 300m intervals, then threshold markings provided are erased.