?An Equal Opportunity University

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Airport Lighting
Brett Malloy
?An Equal Opportunity University
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Overview
Characterization of the Ballast-Tie Interface

• General Guidelines
• Approach Lighting
• Visual Approach Slope Aids
• Threshold Lighting
• Runway Lighting
• Taxiway Lighting

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General Guidelines
Characterization of the Ballast-Tie Interface

• White Lights
• Runway Surface Edges
• Runway Surface Centerline
• Runway Centerline on Approach
• Landing Zone
• Runway Approach Distance
• Visual Approach Slope Aid (Nearest Runway
  Threshold)
• Red Lights
• Runway Edges on Approach
• Runway Threshold in Opposite Direction (Wrong
  Direction)
• End of Runway in Direction of Operation
• Visual Approach Slope Aid (Farthest from Runway
  Threshold)
• Green Lights
• Runway Threshold
• Blue Lights
• Taxiways

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Approach Lighting
Characterization of the Ballast-Tie Interface

• Intensity
• Higher intensity is required for approach
  lighting systems (ALS).
• For visual range of 2000 to 2500 feet, outermost
  approach lights should be 200,000 cd
• 100-500 cd for approach lights closer to threshold

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Approach Lighting
Characterization of the Ballast-Tie Interface

• System Configuration
• Several Types
• Calvert System
• ICAO Category II and Category III System
• High-Intensity Approach Light Systems (ALSF-2 and
  ALSF-1)
• Medium-intensity Approach Light System (MALSR,
  MALSF, and MALS)

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Approach Lighting
Characterization of the Ballast-Tie Interface

• Calvert System
• 3000 feet in length
• Series of single-bulb lights spaced on 100-ft
  intervals along extended runway centerline
• Six transverse crossbars of lights spaced on
  500-ft centers
• Length of transverse rows diminishes as aircraft
  nears runway.

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Approach Lighting
Characterization of the Ballast-Tie Interface

• ICAO Category I and Category II System
• Two lines of red bars on each side of runway at
  30-m intervals extending out 300 m from runway
• Single line of white bars on runway centerline at
  30-m intervals extending out 300 m from runway
• Two longer bars of white light at distances of
  150 m and 300 m from runway
• Long bar of green light at runway threshold
• Also, it is recommended that long bars of white
  light be placed at 450 m, 500 m and 750 m from
  runway centerline.

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Approach Lighting
Characterization of the Ballast-Tie Interface

• ICAO Category I and Category II Systems

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Approach Lighting
Characterization of the Ballast-Tie Interface

• High-Intensity ALS
• ALSF-1
• Long transverse white light crossbar located 1000
  feet from runway, 100 feet in width with 21
  lights
• 2400-3000 feet long
• Sequenced high-intensity flashing lights located
  every 100 feet on extended runway centerline for
  outermost 1400 feet
• 14-ft crossbars of five-bulb white light placed
  at 100-ft intervals for a distance of 2400-3000
  from runway
• Long bar of green light at runway threshold,
  extending 2-10 feet outward from runway and 45
  feet outside of runway edge on each side
• Two additional five-bulb crossbars of red light
  placed symmetrically about runway centerline at a
  distance of 100 feet from runway to delineate
  edge of runway
• Two additional three-bulb red light crossbars
  along runway centerline at 200 feet from runway

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Approach Lighting
Characterization of the Ballast-Tie Interface

• High-Intensity ALS
• ALSF-2
• Long transverse white light crossbar located 1000
  feet from runway, 100 feet in width with 21
  lights
• 2400-3000 feet long
• Sequenced high-intensity flashing lights located
  every 100 feet on extended runway centerline for
  outermost 1400 feet
• 14-ft crossbars of five-bulb white light placed
  at 100-ft intervals for a distance of 2400-3000
  from runway
• Long bar of green light at runway threshold,
  extending 2-10 feet outward from runway and 45
  feet outside of runway edge on each side
• Two additional three or four-bulb crossbars of
  white light placed symmetrically about runway
  centerline at a distance of 500 feet from runway,
  with 5-ft spacing
• Additional three-bulb red light crossbars placed
  symmetrically about runway centerline at 100-ft
  intervals extending 1000 feet from runway

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Approach Lighting
Characterization of the Ballast-Tie Interface

• ALSF-1
• ALSF-2

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Approach Lighting
Characterization of the Ballast-Tie Interface

• Medium-Intensity ALS
• MALSR
• 2400 feet long
• Divided into two sections
• Inner 1000 feet is medium-intensity ALS portion ,
  outer 1400 feet is RAIL portion of system.
• RAIL runway alignment indicator lights
• 14-ft crossbars of five-bulb white lights placed
  at 200-ft intervals extending from runway
  centerline for a distance of 2400 feet from
  runway
• Two additional 20-ft crossbars of five-bulb white
  lights placed at 1000 feet from runway, spaced
  symmetrically outside of 14-ft crossbar forming a
  70-ft single crossbar
• Additional sequential flashing lights for
  outermost 1000 feet
• Green threshold lights extending 10 feet outward
  from runway, and 10 feet outside of runway edge
  on each side

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Approach Lighting
Characterization of the Ballast-Tie Interface

• Medium-Intensity ALS
• MALSF
• 1400 feet long
• 12.5-ft crossbars of five-bulb white light placed
  at 200-ft intervals extending from runway
  centerline for a distance of 1400 feet from
  runway
• Sequence flashers replace runway alignment
  indicator lights.
• Sequential flashing lights for outermost 400
  feet, located at final three crossbar stations
• Two additional five-bulb white light crossbars
  placed 1000 feet from runway, spaced
  symmetrically outside of 12.5-ft crossbar forming
  a single 66-ft crossbar
• Green threshold lights extending 10 feet outward
  from runway, and 10 feet outside of runway edge
  on each side

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Approach Lighting
Characterization of the Ballast-Tie Interface

• MALSR
• MALSF

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Visual-Approach Slope Aids
Characterization of the Ballast-Tie Interface

• Visual-Approach Slope Indicator (VASI)
• Used primarily to aid pilots in defining desired
  glide path during approach.
• Series of light bars running on ground adjacent
  to the side(s) of the runway
• Various VASI configurations, based on
• Desired Visual Range
• Type of Aircraft
• Wide-bodied Aircraft Use

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Visual-Approach Slope Aids
Characterization of the Ballast-Tie Interface

• Visual-Approach Slope Indicator (VASI)
• Two types of bars
• Downwind bar Nearest runway threshold will
  appear white if pilot is at proper height
• Upwind Bar Farthest from runway threshold will
  appear red if pilot is at proper height
• If pilot is too low, both bars will appear red.
• If pilot is too high, both bars will appear
  white.

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Visual-Approach Slope Aids
Characterization of the Ballast-Tie Interface

• Visual-Approach Slope Indicator (VASI)
• Various Configurations

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Visual-Approach Slope Aids
Characterization of the Ballast-Tie Interface

• Visual-Approach Slope Indicator (VASI)
• General Bar Spacing, VASI-6 configuration

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Threshold Lighting
Characterization of the Ballast-Tie Interface

• Denotes runway threshold
• Vital in determining whether pilot will make
  decision to land or execute a missed approach.
• Green Lights extending out from runway (2-10)
• Lights extend across entire width of runway in
  large airports.
• Four green lights are placed on each side of
  threshold in small airports.
• Appear green in direction of landing, and appear
  red in opposite direction to indicate end of
  runway

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Runway Lighting
Characterization of the Ballast-Tie Interface

• Runway Edge Lights
• Generally elevated units
• Project 30 inches above surface
• White lights along the edge of runway
• Not more than 10 feet from edge of pavement
• Lights in final 2000 feet of instrument runway
  are yellow to indicate caution. (In direction of
  operation)
• Spacing
• 200-ft max longitudinal spacing

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Runway Lighting
Characterization of the Ballast-Tie Interface

• Runway Centerline and Touchdown Lights
• Installed in Pavement
• Touchdown zone lights are three-bulb white bars.
• Located on each side of runway centerline
• Extend 3000 feet from runway threshold, or
  one-half the runway length for runways less than
  6000 feet long
• Spaced at 100-ft intervals
• 36 feet from runway centerline on each side
• Centerline lights are also white.
• Spaced at 50-ft intervals
• Offset 2 feet from runway centerline
• Change colors in last 3000 feet of runway in
  direction of operation
• Last 1000- Red
• Next 2000- Alternate between red and white

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Runway Lighting
Characterization of the Ballast-Tie Interface

• Runway Touchdown Light Spacing

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Runway Lighting
Characterization of the Ballast-Tie Interface

• Runway Centerline Light Spacing

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Taxiway Lighting
Characterization of the Ballast-Tie Interface

• Taxiway Edge Lights
• Elevated, bidirectional lights
• Blue
• Spaced at intervals of 200 feet on each side of
  the taxiway, with closer spacing on curves
• Located not more than 10 feet from edge of
  pavement
• Extend a maximum of 30 inches above pavement
  surface

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Taxiway Lighting
Characterization of the Ballast-Tie Interface

• Taxiway Edge Lights on curved and straight
  sections

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Taxiway Lighting
Characterization of the Ballast-Tie Interface

• Location of taxiway lights on entrances and
  exits

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Taxiway Lighting
Characterization of the Ballast-Tie Interface

• Taxiway Centerline Lighting
• Taxiway centerlines terminate at entrances to
  runway.
• At taxiway intersections, the lights continue
  across.
• For long-radius high-speed exit taxiways
• Taxiway lights extend onto runway from a point
  200 feet back from point of curvature of the
  taxiway to point of tangency of the central curve
  of the taxiway.
• In this arrangement, spacing of lights is 50
  feet.
• Lights are offset 2 feet from runway centerline
  lights.
• Taxiway-Runway intersections in which planes must
  hold short of runway, several yellow lights
  spaced at 5-ft intervals are placed transversely
  across taxiway.

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Taxiway Lighting
Characterization of the Ballast-Tie Interface

• Taxiway Centerline Light Spacing

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References
Characterization of the Ballast-Tie Interface
Federal Aviation Administration. A Quick
Reference Airfield Standards, 2nd edition.
FAA, October 2011. Web. 14 December 2012.
Horonjeff, Rob, and Francis X. Mckelvey.
Planning and Design of Airports, 4thedition.
Boston McGraw Hill, 1994. Print.